One of my number one aspects of living in Springfield, Missouri, is the four distinct seasons, but while fall can be somewhat wet, cold and windy, the changing colors of the leaves creates stunning scenery, but i also appreciate the fresh fruits and vegetables, such as plums, cucumber, and zucchini at that time of year, then our local winters are especially long and quite cold, with temperatures often dipping below chilly… My friend and I get approximately 18” of snow, which makes the landscape look wash and magical.
I don’t mind bundling up to snowmobile, snowboard or cross-country ski, and spring tends to take a while to arrive, but the flowers are worth the wait.
I’m constantly excited to catch sight of the first sprouts of daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. Summers tend to be especially tepid and muggy, bringing temperatures in the high eighties or low nineties, but the weather does create difficulties with indoor comfort and air quality. My friend and I deal with excessive humidity in the Summer and unsatisfactory moisture in the winter. The heating and cooling systems take turns operating, with entirely minimal cut in-between. The cost of indoor temperature control is responsible for a significant portion of the budget! Because it’s necessary to keep the windows closed for the majority of the year and the home sealed tight against energy waste, the living space can become overly polluted. I have invested into a heat reclaimy ventilator or HRV that brings in a constant supply of fresh air. It helps to get rid of humidity in the summer, reducing the workload of the air conditioner and cost of daily electric bills. In the winter, it uses the outgoing stale air to preheat the incoming air, lessening demands on the furnace and saving currency on heating bills.