My 2 cents worth: I visited my beautiful, beautiful little historic state of RI last Nov. for a week. Our home was 2 miles from a most beautiful beach. Newport, RI was a ten minute drive. The visit was for my Dads funeral. :'( The only time the sun peeked out was during the funeral.
We saw some foliage and some snow flurries, it was damp, raw and gloomy and we couldn't wait to get HOME to the Villages. We were freezing! My mom won't step outside for months for fear of slipping on ice! After being here 3+ years, this is home. The SUN IS SHINING, the hibiscus are blooming, the sweetest smelling gardenias fill my lanai with the finest aroma, and the birds are at the feeder and singing!! Palm trees and flowers are everywhere. My friends in RI are envious that the sun is always shining here. It is raining or snowing and gray there 300+ days of the year. The temp. was 45 last week. Raining, cold, windy. This is May!! I DO NOT MISS THE COLD!! Friends and family visit us here and are really tired of the greyness they live with! Friends and family are depressed and wait for months and months for about 8 weeks of good weather. Even when summer finally arrives, it usually rains on weekends! They are all planning on joining us very soon!! My dad loved TV and was thinking of moving here, and he's italian with solid deep roots in RI. I wished it had happened for him, but he suddenly passed away. I am, however, very happy that he saw this great beautiful place and knows how happy I am!!!!