What do you like best about the region that you live in?

[Stubbornhillfarm]

I was out working in the garden last night thinking about a comment I had made that if the farmer and I ever visited the North West, we most likely would call home and tell someone to pack up our things and put the house on the market. To us, the North West sounds very appealing and the pictures are beautiful!

But as I was working and thinking, I was coming up with all of the reasons that I really love living in Maine and I don't know that I would want to really give those up.

What are the reasons you love living in the region you do?

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

I love living in Maine because:

We are less than an hour away from the ocean.

Less than an hour away from some amazing large lakes. (Moosehead)

We have many ponds, small lakes, rivers and streams near by.

We have an amazing view of and are less than an hour away from Mt. Washington.

We have 4 very distinct seasons.

 

[Collector]

You have just described the Pacific North West, no need to move here lol...

 

[digitS']

Well, some people say that I live in the Northwest. Some say that I live in the Intermountain West. Some say that I live in the Rocky Mountains.

Stubbornhillfarm, you may have to define what you mean by the North West. I imagine that many people do not realize until they visit that there is a desert environment in eastern Oregon, central Washington and on up into British Columbia. The Columbia River is defined as an "exotic river." It loses more water thru evaporation than it takes in, along a few hundred miles of its course.

I don't live out in the Columbia Basin nor very close to the Pacific Ocean. The mountains I am closest to are the Selkirks which are older than the Rockies (which I can see from my doorstep ). People in southern Idaho, Nevada and Utah would probably prefer to draw the northern boundary of the Intermountain West somewhere a few hundred miles south of here. But . . . that's their problem.

I like traveling around this part of the world. It is a diverse environment with plenty of big rivers, lakes, mountains and views of wide-open spaces. There are 4 season here, also. If there was another area in the US to compare what is closest to me, I think it might be northern New England. So, very close to your environment, Stubbornhillfarm - just as Collector says . I haven't been north of Connecticut so I'm not real sure but there are plenty of evergreens here and rocks and streams fed by snow melt at this time of year .

Steve

 

[secuono]

All the green everywhere, trees, rolling hills. No tornado valley, no crazed ants, no flat brown or boring landscape or wild hogs and we can legally collect our own water. I don't think I could leave this state, would be so much to research to find a place that was the same law wise and land wise. I'd just want more land for less money.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Well....It does seem that we have no reason to move then!

What I call North West...Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Montana.

The draw for us would be; more big game species. And in pictures, the mountains seem more abundant, more in your face. I really don't know how to describe it. But around here, yes, there are mountains and they are all covered in trees. Take for instance peteyfoozers pictures. The mountains in her pictures are different from ours. Pictures that we have seen from the Couer D'alene, Idaho area are beautiful.

Just by what both of you are saying, I guess we really better stay away. Pretty similar but with better hunting. That would probably be a done deal.

It is very funny how each state of New England is unique. I am sure it is that way in other parts of the country too. But you can clearly tell when you go from Mass to NH. Or VT to NH or ME, etc. It's pretty funny actually. I bet you are right Steve, I bet Northern Maine is very similar. Can you believe I've never even been to Northern Maine?! Takes too long to get there.

 

[hoodat]

That's an easy one for me to answer. Year round gardening and the best tomato climate in the US. I'm 10 minutes away from the ocean beaches and San Diego Bay. My neighbors are mostly of Mexican descent and they're the most warm hearted people I ever met. BTW I've noticed a peculiar optical illusion here. When you top Otay Mesa (where I live) and look toward the ocean your eyes tell you the ocean is higher than the land.

 

[digitS']

Oh no!!

News this morning:

Southern California has finally fallen into the ocean!

digitS'

 

[hoodat]

I have it from reliable sources that after the San Andreas fault splits open everything to the East will sink and only California will be left.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Really good question! I realize i gripe about our gardening season in NW MT all the time, but probably only rarely tell you all how much i love it here

Hmm, in no particular order:
TONS of access to the wild - national park, forest service and wilderness all within a half hour drive of my house in town. We can hike, bike, canoe, camp, birdwatch, downhill and cross country ski, all my favorite things.

My particular valley, Flathead, has more to offer in the way of fabulous restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and cultural events like plays, and sometimes music...because of our tourists, than many other small town places.

Absolutely gorgeous scenery even my commute to work has great views of the mountains.

Stubbornhillfarm, i know i'm biased, but from your descriptions you better not come to western montana!! We have tons of big game hunting, both on the western side of the rockies where i am, and even the eastern side of the mountains. I would have to guess that western montana and northern idaho would make you feel more at home than most other places in the greater pacific northwest. Colorado, eastern washington and eastern montana are very dry and windy, and not nearly so green and forested as maine (sweeping generalizations, obviously!).