Originally Posted by Michael 61 (Post 2228999)

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

Originally Posted by asianthree (Post 2229169)

Our first start in TV was in 2007, once one retired have always went north starting in May, and didn’t return until October or November.

So is our first summer in TV. During high season, we find traffic much less than where we lived up north, that we chuckle at those who complain.

Summer traffic is less, but lawn companies make up the difference. We eat late, so seating isn’t a problem. Shopping never at brick and mortar, so that not any different in summer. The lighting is a nice backdrop

Heat is a serious problem for me, always has been. So having a hard time being outside, once the heat takes over I am basically useless. My spouse loves the heat, me never. So next year may return to heading north for spring, summer and watch the leaves start to turn.

Originally Posted by Flyers999 (Post 2229188)

I have to respectively disagree with the OP. For five months of the year, this place is unlivable. Yes, I've adjusted over the years, but I don't call "not going outside after 12 noon" adjusting. More like surviving. it's pure hell, the torture rack, Sodom and Gomorrah, the plague,... you get the picture.

The only thing I like about it is the fact that the crape myrtles are in bloom — giving us the sign that summer is here as the trees burst into bloom with huge, colorful flowers. That's some consolation, I guess. I snapped this picture of one the other day in Chathan (see below).

Anybody else have a picture of a crape myrtle in their village? I would love to see it.

Originally Posted by Michael 61 (Post 2228999)

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

Originally Posted by xcaligirl (Post 2229350)

I still miss the cool mornings and evenings in Lodi/Sacramento/Fair Oaks. Some summers I think I’m going to blow a fuse with constant heat but I look back at other issues in CA and I’m so happy I’m here! 😁. Hurricanes are “annoying@ and we never know what we’ll get but all in all, life is good!

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy (Post 2229340)

We have a brand new home in DeLuna with a crepe myrtle in the front yard, but no blooms yet. We carted up to Allamanda recreation center today and noticed blooming crepe myrtles everywhere. I’m afraid of bees so don’t know if we’ll keep it along with the bottle brush in the front yard too, but we’ll see. They’re really purty. The yards that didn’t get crepe myrtles got Magnolia trees.