Likes and Dislikes

The current edition of Our State magazine, a wonderful publication that celebrates North Carolina, has essays on "Why We Love North Carolina". The editor-in-chief had posed that question to a lot of folks prior to the publication of the February issue. A lot of the responses were exactly my reasons for loving the Old North State. Here a few I can totally agree with:

I love ripples of blue mountain ridges.

A sky of pure cerulean.

Folks who wave to me as they're driving by.

The sounds of words said in a gentle Southern drawl.

The smoky flavor of chopped barbecue, hush puppies warm and golden.

Potluck dinners in a fellowship hall.

Children learning to say "yes, ma'am" or "no, sir."

The sound of lawn mowers on a Saturday afternoon.

Neighbors that bake brownies, stop and chat and give you a hug.

A smiling face of a sales associate, even though they're having a bad day.
Watching hummingbirds feed whilst sitting in a rocker on my front porch.

All very true in my experience. However, the other side of the coin are my dislikes. Few, to be sure, but nevertheless true. Driving habits mainly and to be fair these are probably universal, especially:

Drivers who drive with no lights in rain or overcast conditions (despite State Law which compels lights if you are using windshield wipers).
Public libraries who send repeated notices of unreturned items when you can prove that you have done so, especially when they refuse to apologize for their error.
The many potholes in local roads.
The appalling quality of repairs to such potholes (usually making them worse within a few weeks).
Drivers who inconsiderately share their "music" with everyone else within a quarter mile.

Having got that off my chest, I'm so grateful for the pros, that the cons are really small fry, and I cannot think of anywhere that I would rather live.

Yes, I too, love North Carolina.