My ancestors came from Germany to God's country, aka Catawba County NC (40 miles NW of Charlotte), in the mid 1750's, and that's where I was born, raised, and where I still reside. I'm American by birth, Southern by the grace of God!!!
Close enough to the big city (charlotte) without being in it, even though it is quickly heading in my direction. I can drive to the mountains in 1 to 2 hours and to the beach in 4 hours. I can leave my house and walk for 2 miles through the woods without seeing a person or house. My own shooting range is about 1/2 mile from my house, and the neighbors don't complain about the noise. As the NC state poem reads:
Here's to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!
Here's to the land of the cotton bloom white,
Where the scuppernong perfumes the breeze at night,
Where the soft southern moss and jessamine mate,
'Neath the murmuring pines of the Old North State!
Here's to the land where the galax grows,
Where the rhododendron's rosette glows,
Where soars Mount Mitchell's summit great,
In the "Land of the Sky," in the Old North State!
Here's to the land where maidens are fair,
Where friends are true and cold hearts rare,
The near land, the dear land, whatever fate,
The blest land, the best land, the Old North State!