Growing up in California meant I didn’t really have seasons. Winter was mild, almost never getting below 50 degrees F, and summer was warm. All my seasons were pretty similar, and we seldom had rain.  

A few years ago, we moved to North Carolina in June. And it was hot. Really, really hot. I have a vivid memory of walking into Home Depot to get nails for hanging up art during my first summer here, and being able to feel how scorching the concrete was through the soles of my shoes. But summer in NC also means trips to its many beaches, visiting the sunflowers at Dix Park, and roadtripping to Asheville. 

In the summer of 2024, we went to the Sylvan Heights Bird Park, which I have personal issues with. While I was there, a bird pooped on my hair and I’ve never recovered. The birds were beautiful but after that, I’m never going back. Never. 

Summer and fall are tied for my favorite seasons, but fall in NC is perfect. The perfect temperatures, not too brisk and not too warm. There’s a pumpkin patch near me that makes the most delicious hot apple cider. 

Our first fall, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway in western NC for the turning of the leaves, which was gorgeous. We had picnic lunches, walked across the swinging bridge on Grandfather Mountain, and hiked a ton of different trails.  

We’ve been to four state parks in NC, which sounds like a good amount until you realize that there are 41 state parks in the state of North Carolina. We still have a ways to go in completing the checklist, but I’m hoping this year we’ll be able to visit at least three more! 

The first two winters we lived in NC, no snow.  But the next two have had snow, both times in January. A record breaking winter storm hit NC last week, but somehow Raleigh only got a few inches. These photos are from last year, when it snowed overnight without any warning. 

This was the biggest snowman I could make last year, because the snow had frozen into ice overnight. When it’s not snowing or raining during winter in NC, the skies are clear blue and the temperatures are freezing. One of my favorite things about the snow: all the animals coming in and out of our backyard leave their pawprints behind. This winter, we’ve seen rabbit tracks, squirrel tracks, and what we think are little bird feet. 

Spring here means visits to botanical gardens, strawberry picking, and the blooming of some of my favorite flowers in NC: dogwoods, cherry blossoms, and magnolias. 

These rhododendrons are part of the gardens at Biltmore, which we’ve visited every year since moving to North Carolina. My favorite season to visit Biltmore is in the winter, because of their gorgeous antique Christmas decorations. However, their enormous gardens are best in the spring and summer. 

NC also has fantastic pick-your-own farms: strawberries in the spring, watermelons in the summer, and pumpkins and apples in the fall. 

The one thing I do miss about California that I wish we had here in North Carolina are my favorite flowers: California poppies. But I love living in a place that has seasons, and where the trees and plants are green almost year-round.