Posted by Judy Burrell:  I grew up in Southern California, the land of eternal summer.  Occasionally, it would get down to the upper 40's on an extremely cold night.

So, I love the four seasons in Raleigh.  While many of the snowbirds move here to get to a milder climate, I enjoy the full effect of spring, fall and winter, instead of my constant summer as a child.   Compared to the rest of America, our weather is much warmer in the winter, milder in the summer while spring and fall are extremely pretty.

Every year, I hope for snow.  It puts a white blanket over our acre, and turns the branches white so they glisten in the sun.  Everyone stays home and snuggles.  The grocery stores are ridiculous just before a show, with bread and milk disappearing from the shleves. 

This year, I got snow two times.  One in January and the other last Sunday night.  It has been colder than normal, so the snow has stayed on the ground.  My yard is still white.  Normally, the snow melts within a day, sometimes within hours.  So, my friends from up north do not think much of our snow events and laugh at all the activity at the grocery store preparing for something that will last a matter of hours.

One of the reasons that Raleigh real estate is doing well, even in the current economy, is our weather.  Most people think of the buyers in this area as young, and many are.  But, we are getting a large increase of retirees, partly due to the excellent medical facilities, partly dues to the abundance of golf courses, and because of our weather. 

While most of the retirees come here because the weather is so mild, I love it because it is real weather with four seasons.