Generally the "Yankees" live in their own segregated neighborhoods, go shopping at their own special venues, and only converse with their "yankee" friends because they are the only ones who can tolerate them; they have no ties to the community. We are merely servants for them because they did the honor of parking some of their money in our town, therefore we owe them.
Ha Ha Ha!
It is some version of the same story everywhere, I guess.
Here in NC we have a suburb of Raleigh called Cary (Concentrated Area of Relocated Yankees, we like to say). I have friends there (relocated yankees) that just love living there with all their yankee friends. They go on and on about what a bargain are the overpriced homes there, getting more of their buddies to move down, driving up the prices for everyone else. The rest of the state (mostly) and nation are in something of a recession with increasing unemployment, businesses sinking, mortgages underwater, etc. In Cary, people are lined up around the block (OK, I exaggerate a bit) to shop at the organic dog biscuit bakery in the high end shopping center. Talk about frivolity. These people do not appear to be touched by hard times. They are, however financially touched by the trauma of fickleness of countertop fashion investments.
I find it awkward to hang with this crowd. It feels sort of colonial and I'm part of the local labor. *sigh*
I have thought about moving there, sharing a plenty-large house with a friend. I have thought it might be good for me to spend more time around upbeat, sociable people. I don't think I'd fit in anymore. It would be very hard to go back to that kind of materialism, or even be around it so much anymore.
Back to the subject of greenhouses/gardening... How exciting for you! I hope you will keep us posted on what grows well for you. I did not know there were any highlands in Florida.
Zone 9? You can grow tropical fruit, avocados, perpetual roses. Lucky you.