You know it's spring because...

Well, sure they do. They're very hungry when they come to life again

 

Mars, perhaps. Assuming there isn't something even nastier lurking just below the surface

As far as planet earth, I think every region has its fair share of bugs. Arctic locations, in the very brief "summer" you have to wear a net over your head, or you will be eaten alive

 

I grew up in San Diego, but right on the coast in La Jolla. We had no screens in our windows and kept the doors ajar all the time. Just the occasional house-fly (not a lot) and normal garden bugs, but that's it. I did NOT appreciate it until I moved back east.

This might be your bug-free zone, Perryma.

 

the bugs may make up for lost time in the spring up north, but they grow to ridiculous proportions in areas where there is no winter.

 

I was going to write that along the left coast there seem to be a minimum of bugging bugs. Dipena why on earth would you move from one of the very best places to live to Mass? No spouse, education or amount of money could pry me from San Diego North County if I were fortunate enough to live there. La Jolla, Del Mar, Cardiff-by-the Sea, and the other beach towns thereabouts have it all over the east coast (I know about the right-coast...I grew up there never to return). The weather's better, the girls prettier, and fish tacos tastier at the North SD Coast than anywhere else.

 

Natural beauty and good Mexican food will get you only so far.

The people there are idiots and there is no culture to speak of. It was much more politically conservative in my growing up years as well. Growing up in La Jolla as a smart, bookish girl was pretty much torture. I kept looking around thinking that there had to be something more to life. Went to college in Pennsylvania and never looked back.

Now, Northern California I love.

 

I've been there - once by bike and once by car. It was beautiful, with the rocky coast and all those big trees. It reminded me of home, but without the mountains. I am only beginning to realise how lucky I am to have been born where I was.

I get the occasional mosquito bite when walking through the summer grass at night in bare feet, but that's asking for it. Watching dragonflies hunt bugs is fascinating, but there's nothing too nasty or annoying around here, insect wise. But don't ever think of moving here, no, you'll hate it. The uh...the...the bears, that's it, the bears are huge and fearsome, it's not safe to out at night.

 

Aha, that explains it ....

 

No flies?

When I lived on Clearwater Beach Island there were no flies because of the ocean breaze AND we didn't have winter, or gators. "Palmetto bugs"* the size of small dogs but no flies.



* That's southern for cockroach.

 

Other than the occasional earthquake and what happens once everyone figures out what you have.

 

dang ... I've been found out. Next you'll be asking why my wife, a size 7, has so many size 10 dresses in her closet
Hey! I carry my fly swatter under there!

There's always here:



If you're into hiking, try the top of mount everest.

 

I agree that there is not much to relate to in lower California if you are not into the military or movies. That's why, after visiting North County for years with the intent to move there I decided to remain where I am. Northern CA fits my clothes and lifestyle perfectly. And the water tastes like wine. I also went to school in PA and felt like a fish out of water. Didn't know why or where I could go to feel at home, but one day I saw 'Moonbeam Jerry Brown' speak on tv while I was in PA mulling over my life. I couldn't believe it! Jerry was talking my language and I didn't even know I was bilingual! Imagine my surprise when I found out there was a whole portion of the country which thought like I did, damn liberals. I drove from PA to CA one Feburary 1 through blizzards the whole way. As I descended the Sierra I was still in snow but could *smell* green on the upwelling of air on the west side of the mountains. Soon after I arrived in San Francisco and found an exquisite winter day filled with sunshine, flowers and lots of people in good moods. I knew there and then I was here to stay, so much so that I called PA and told my roommates to divide my goodies I left behind as I would never be coming back to claim them. For some Detroit is home, for some it's Miami. For me it's N. CA to live, with Hawaii and Montana as playgrounds. It also helps that there is some of the best sailing in the world right here on San Francisco Bay. I've sailed here for 30 years and never knew it was 'tricky, the best, too windy, whatever. I only found that out when in the presence of other sailors who, when they find out where my 'home port' is are in awe of my luck and they invariably tell me 'if you can single hand on SF Bay you can sail anywhere'. Who knew?

 

Ah, thank you for reminding me of why I no longer live in the upper midwest!

We have few flying nasties here.

 

Even most of the witches are nice.

 

Well, uuhmmm, gee, ...how do I say this...the newt's are always the last to know.

 

There are worse things than being zapped into a newt