In the North Carolina mountains, many locals check the woolly worm before winter. If you grew up there, you probably have habits like that, too. Here’s what gives away someone from the North Carolina mountains. 1. Heating With Wood Wood heat stands out in several mountain counties. In Madison County, about 13% of occupied homes…
Missourians and Illinoisans live a short drive apart yet find a lot to disagree on. Here’s what Missourians and Illinoisans still argue about across the river. Note: This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Tax rates and laws are subject to change. 1. Cardinals and Cubs If you’ve watched the Cardinals play the…
Some Kentuckians nominate their out-of-state friends to be Kentucky Colonels. That’s the kind of thing that makes perfect sense back home and raises questions everywhere else. Here’s what Kentuckians do that gives them away out of state. 1. Asking for Ale-8-One Ale-8-One is a ginger-citrus soda that has been bottled in Winchester since 1926. Its…
On a powder day, some Coloradans climb the mountain on their own before the first chair even starts. Out-of-staters hear that and ask why anyone would hike up a ski hill. Locals know. Here’s what Coloradans do on a powder day that out-of-staters find strange. 1. Powder Day Policy Many people treat a powder day…
Open a deep freeze in a Mississippi garage, and you’ll find a lot more than ice cream. Here’s what Mississippians keep in the deep freeze that baffle Americans from other states. 1. Delta Hot Tamales A story originally published in the Jackson Free Press in 2009 reported that Greenville’s Hot Tamale Heaven shipped its Delta…
When Colorado decided to bring back wolves, a Utah lawmaker responded with a resolution. Coloradans and Utahns share a border, and their governments don’t always see eye to eye. Here are the arguments Coloradans keep having with their Utah neighbors, and what they could mean if you live near the line. Note: This is general…
If a municipal utility powers your home, the state’s outage map won’t show you. Bay Staters who’ve ridden out a few nor’easters learn details like that the hard way. Here’s what Bay Staters know about nor’easters that out-of-staters don’t. Note: This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Emergency orders and coverage terms are…
In Boise, your sidewalk needs to be shoveled by 9 a.m. every morning there’s snow on it. Idahoans pick up habits like that fast once winter settles in. Here are the Idaho habits that make total sense once you’ve lived through an Idaho winter. 1. Checking the Burn Rules Checking whether burning is allowed before…
Back up north, ants were a picnic problem. In a Florida garage, there’s bait on the shelf for them. Floridians stock their garages for the climate, and some of it looks odd to anyone raised in snow country. Here are the things in every Florida garage that confuse Northerners. 1. Hurricane Shutter Panels Look along…
Youth Deer Weekend is this weekend in Vermont, Nov. 7-8. The foliage crowds are gone, but Vermonters aren’t slowing down. Here’s what Vermonters do during stick season that out-of-staters never see. 1. Leaf Drop-Offs Fallen leaves pile up in your yard by stick season, and Vermont has rules about where they can go. Vermont bans…
