Rio Grande Valley

If you do not know a Libra you may not know what I mean by “A Libra’s visit.” According The Farmer’s Almanac, Libra’s “weigh and balance with careful deliberation and thoroughly think through all their plans and activities. While “balance” is their watchword, they do not maintain center at all times, rather, continuously swing and sway back and forth, always striving for the central point.” Now you understand what might have happened on this trip. I chose Harlingen, Texas for four reasons; the weather, recommendation from a friend, advertising, and some statistics.

Note: I do not follow my sign or astrology, but I do read and follow the Farmer's Almanac.

I live in the Midwest and these last few years the winter’s have been long and hard. I’m getting older and the cold freezes me in September and keeps me frozen until April. I start thinking about heading South in about October just to thaw out for a time. This is part of the reasons I visited Harlingen, Texas.

The average temperature in Harlingen is 73.9 F, annual high 83.9 F, annual low 73.9 F and precipitation is 27.5 inches a year. The temperatures for my seven day stay at the end of January and the first of February was 77 F, 79 F, 74 F, 75 F, 78 F, 57 F, and 70 F. This was perfect weather for me with the exception of the 57 F. day. It was an overcast day with rain off and on most of the day. Not bad for seven days of weather in January/February.

I always start asking people about places to go for the winter. I have had several suggestions and have visited a few of them. This year a friend said her parents lived in Harlingen, Texas and that their weather was good. She told me that they really liked living there. What she told me sounded great, the next step was to get on line and check out what the internet had to say about Harlingen.

The internet reaffirmed what she had stated. I read a piece of information that stated, “you can be outside 365 days.” That really piqued my interest. I love the outdoors and would love the opportunity, if I so chose, to be outdoors. That was what sealed the deal for me. I would see if they could get me outdoor for a while each day for seven days.

The stats that intrigued me were that in a 2010 study of Harlingen, Texas. It was cited and one of the top ten (10) least expensive cities in the U. S. A. in which to live. www.cbsnews.com/pictures/10-cheapest-places-to-live-in. I don’t really like the word “cheapest” so it threw me a little curve. Cheap can be poor housing, no shopping areas, few food choices, poor services, and other things not so desirable. I decided to check it out for myself.

These were fun filled days for me. In future blogs I will let you know if Harlingen, Texas fulfilled their claim to allow you to get outside 365 days. In my case seven days in a row. I will also let you know if the recommendations and statistics were good and true.