Firmly Rooted Transplant

It hit me the other day that while I may be a "transplant" I have dug my roots firmly in here in Washington.
I still miss California. I miss the 70 degree winters and the blue skies. I miss the freeways and the open spaces and the billion different options for everything. I just miss the way it feels. It's difficult to explain unless you've grown up somewhere else and then moved. Everything just feels different.
I find I've got this funny mix of southern California and Washington going on in my head. I don't own an umbrella and I'm still trying to wear flip flops in December any time the sun comes out like there's a chance it isn't 40 degrees outside. I know every place in a 25 mile radius that has great tacos and horchata and expects to find a coffee place at least every block.
I miss the warm sandy beaches.
I'm amazed by this place still. I've never known the sky to be so blue, when it finally shows itself from behind the clouds. The summers are amazing and you will never, ever see so many different shades of green anywhere else. Spring is crisp and clean and pink. When the sun and the rain get equal billing everything explodes in color and comes alive again. This time of the year the trees are turning red and gold and the scenery changes almost daily. It's picturesque most days and I'm struck with how beautiful this place is and how lucky I am to live here. OK the winters suck. There's no way for me to gloss over that. I still can't get past the winters - I'm still a California girl at heart. There's only so much you can change. ;)
But for now I'm enjoying where I live. I need a sweatshirt and a latte' and I'm happy. I'll be complaining about the weather soon enough!