Minnesota Isn't Too Bad After All

My family and I have been down on Mustang Island on the East Texas Coast for a few days, visiting relatives and getting a needed break from the monotony of winter. The weather has been great - mainly in the upper 70s - and there's been plenty of sunshine to give us some attractive sunburns. But along with the great weather they can offer, these southern climates also have their share of negative aspects that we don't have to think much about up north.

It certainly is refreshing this time of year to get up and have your morning coffee on the deck in a pair of shorts. In Minnesota you still have to wear several layers of clothes to do that, and most likely your deck furniture is still buried under the snow. But those of us who are native to the north country aren't used to checking to see if there is a scorpion under our chair before we sit down, which is not a bad thing to think about down here.

Although it is common to find a few pickers on a walk in the woods almost anywhere in the Upper Midwest, Texas lawns can be filled with some of the most heinous plants you can imagine. They will try to poison you with every step, or jab through your clothes if you try to sit down (barefoot walkers and thin shorts wearers beware). And when you are taking a short cut to the beach, be sure to watch out for the rattlesnakes sunning themselves on those inviting sand dunes!

But just when you think the plants and land critters are a little scary, just spend a few hours on the ocean reeling in some of those interesting creatures that resemble several of the species in Star Wars! It seems that almost everything that lurks down there has a goal of causing you immense pain and suffering if you dare to pull it out of the water.

I know we get a little tired of the mosquitoes up north, but other than them and a few ticks we really have it pretty easy. We have lush lawns to play in, clear waters to swim in, and some very pleasant weather during the summer months. If you want to sleep out under the stars on a warm July evening, you may end up with a few itchy bites in the morning, but you will most likely still be alive to scratch them.

But don't get me wrong, I love the warm weather and expansive beaches that offer a respite from the seemingly never-ending winter. The sunshine and fresh air down south can create a renewed energy that helps us remember why we put up with the long winters up north, and it gives us a glimpse of what we can look forward to in just a couple of months - or maybe three.

So hang in there. I've seen the sunshine and it's heading your way...and I don't believe it's bringing all the other weird things with it.

Oh yeah, I forgot. There is one more wild and crazy animal that I've come across this week on the beaches down here in Port Aransas: The Spring Breaker. Maybe that's why we have winter in the first place...to keep them away!

Happy Easter