Alice, I wish you were right about my area. I'm definitely 8a out in the rural areas and do not have many trees on my property. But, would you believe that in the city of Orangeburg, ;12 miles away, they are definitely warmer in the winter. I can believe that they might be 8b. Their plants awaken so much earlier in the spring than mine do. They do not have as many frosty nights as we do in the rurals either. I'm at least 10-15 miles away from the Edisto River. That's one of the reasons why we weren't seriously impacted by the flood.
Now where you are, I would love to be there.
About this time last year, we spent a week with friends on Fripp Island. I was amazed at the size and diversity of the plants that I saw. We also have friends in St. Helena, and frequently go to Huntington Beach to spend time relaxing.