There's nothing like a vacation out of state to make you appreciate where you live.

Likewise, a visit to other parts of the country can easily, if you're not careful, make you envious of certain aspects of the state you're visiting.

A recent vacation in Colorado confirmed some things for me. For starters, it is among the most beautiful states in the nation, hands down. This was my third trip to Colorado and the most enjoyable because I was with my family and got to see the state through my husband's and children's eyes. Having never been there before, they were awestruck. The Rocky Mountains are scenic like no others, perhaps because of their awesome expanse and grandeur.

In Colorado Springs, 7,000 feet above sea level, there was a clear view of Pike's Peak from every corner of the city, with its population of 750,000. The beauty of that enormous snow-covered mountain is breathtaking. We arrived in 70-degree sunny weather with a clear view of Pike's Peak. Two days later, the temperature was 35 degrees and snow was falling, resulting in about 4 inches of accumulation that would have surely closed schools in the Shoals. We joked with our family members who live there that our children would have had a two-day break from classes. They said that only another foot and a half of snow would close theirs.

For residents there, I noticed, it was as if nothing had happened. Cars drove just as fast and malls were still swamped with people hunting last-minute Easter dress deals.

Applying the "when in Rome" theory, we continued as tourists. We hiked through some unbelievable rock formations called The Garden of the Gods and made the three-hour drive to Monarch Pass Ski Resort, stopping to take pictures of the kids at the Continental Divide.

With a 95-inch snow base, Monarch Mountain was a breezy 23 degrees.

At this point, despite the beauty of the snow-doused trees and the perfectly snow-packed ski slopes, all I could feel was cold, and for just a moment, my mind flashed back to Alabama and its much more consistent weather in the mid 50s.

For all of Colorado's natural beauty, I came to the conclusion that Alabama actually does rival it. Nowhere in any Colorado city did I see a shrub, plant or tree preparing to bloom. In fact, the only trees I saw at all were in the mountains.

On the drive home from the airport we noticed Bradford pear trees blooming and even daffodils and tulips making their yearly springtime appearances.

I know home is where the heart is, but for a few days there I really thought my heart wanted to reside in beautiful Colorado. Now that I'm back to my slower pace of life in Sweet Home Alabama, I think I'll just stick around and get an early jump on spring.

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@timesdaily.com.