North Carolina... facts... Hard to think of some. I sometimes think I hate living here. Then, I go somewhere (like Michigan or New York or Virginia) and find myself missing NC. I have a love/hate relationship with this place.

#1 In the spring, you literally cannot go anywhere without seeing dogwood trees in bloom. Sadly, they've been dying earlier and earlier each year for the past few years. The early deaths started during the year the bumblebees were mysteriously vanishing.
#2 NC used to produce a lot of tar.
#3 I could drive for like just an hour and see country, city, and beach. An hour the other way and eventually mountains.
#4 If you are an NC native, you have been to at least one 'pig pickin'. You may not like them (as I don't), but you have at least been to one.
#5 In fact, cook outs/barbecues are very common down here. Birthday? Cook out. Graduation party? Cook out. Baby shower? Cook out. Yeah.
#6 All those cigarettes in WV... I'm sorry. NC is the leading producer in tobacco. So, you have us to blame for many of those.

NC isn't too bad. I hate the town I live in. But once you get to the country areas, it's actually a pretty quaint place. People are often nice, and certain towns/cities have that... 'down home' feel you can't find often. It can be bothersome, though, being that a lot of them are right smack in the middle of the 'bible belt'. Makes it hard for a guy like me to ever er... 'fit in'.