Top 10 Things I Love About California
1. Pearl Drive - It would have been a very tough year without the great friends and neighbors we have on Pearl Drive.
2. Mountains - I love looking in any direction and seeing mountains in the distance (I understand why Fritz misses the mountains so much when he's not here.)
3. Grapes, Avocados, Citrus Orchards & Roses - My commute to work feels more like a drive through a European countryside when the hillsides are in full bloom with orchard colors. And the roses grow so easily here that even I have a beautiful rose bush.
4. Wineries - But I don't recommend trying to visit more than three in one day. (I can explain more in person, but I won't put it in writing...)
5. Ocean Sunsets - There is something so captivating about the ocean waves extending as far as you can see, especially when the sun is setting.
6. Cool Ocean Breezes - The days are definitely hot in Murrieta, but the nights cool of beautifully from the ocean breezes.
7. Palm Trees with Christmas Lights - I couldn't wait to get out running in the evenings after work last November and December to see all the Christmas decorations. They were surprisingly festive despite the lack of snow, and I am amazed at how good palm trees look wrapped in lights! (Still don't care for Santa in surf shorts - something about that is just wrong.)
8. Farmers' Markets and Roadside Produce Stands - Cheap, fresh, delicious.
9. Old Town Temecula - Quaint, touristy, eclectic and it reminds me of my hometown in MN.
10. Gin & Tonic While Floating In the Pool - Need I say more?
Top 10 Things I Miss About Minnesota
1. Family & Friends - They are what makes a place feel like home.
2. Horses - Especially on a frosty morning when everything is crystallized and their breath is white puffs.
3. Lakes - Water everywhere and in abundance is easy to take for granted.
4. Lots of Green Trees - It's wonderful to be surrounded by trees and green, knowing overpopulation and urban sprawl are problems somewhere else.
5. Paved Trails - We are really spoiled in northern MN by the paved trails that make biking, running, and horseback riding so great. Miles and miles of trails through the woods, by lakes, with no stoplights or traffic jams.
6. Lunch at Village Square - Nothing better than spending an hour with Fritz and Joel (and sometimes MB, or Joe), sitting on the patio mulling over the menu, even though each of us know we are going to order the same thing we always do.
7. Small Town Hospitality - I love that the local deli will make up a salad to order, put it in a nice bowl instead of a plastic container and trust you to just leave it by the back door next time you pass through town. (Thanks, Green Scene!)
8. Five Minute Commutes - And that's if you get behind someone pulling a boat, otherwise it's four minutes to town.
9. Crisp Fall Days - The colors of the trees and the crisp air is absolutely exhilarating. Best time of the year to run, ride, and just be outside.
10. Snow!!! - Late night snowshoeing while the snow is falling by the light of the moon. It's like being in a beautiful dream.
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