I hated living in the northern midwest for the cold winters every year.
- The summers in the temperate continental forests are gorgeous, especially when the weather permits outdoor activity.
But once you get to early October, the transition into cold weather is both rapid and insurmountable. By comparison, southern California feels like a Mediterranean paradise. Temperatures will often dip into the 50s at night, but usually the weather is warm enough for just a sweater and a pair of jeans throughout most of winter. Another thing that I struggled with in the winters of the northern midwest was keeping plants alive. My cacti are not winter hardy and will die when they freeze completely. I struggled bringing them inside every year to prevent them from dying, but it didn’t always work. On top of that, the temperature fluctuations stress the plants and affect how they grow and the size they get to. When I moved to Tarzana, suddenly I had cooperative weather where my cacti and succulents thrive. On top of that, I can finally grow marijuana plants in my backyard! Not only was the weather uncooperative for cannabis in my home state, but we also were not allowed to have marijuana plants for personal consumption. All legal cannabis had to be purchased from a licensed dispensary. However, California allows all adults over the age of 21 to possess up to six mature cannabis plants at any given time. Although I like the dispensaries in Tarzana and Encincon, it’s nice to supplement my dispensary weed with some homegrown cannabis. It’s a fun hobby for me as well, especially when I get home from a stressful day at work.