Over the years I’ve received a lot of questions regarding life in Arizona. For those of you who have never been here, or anywhere near South West, I bring to you a list of FAQ’s and answers to ease your imaginations and give you an insight into this sometimes barren, sometimes beautiful, most always way too hot, state.

Let the questions begin!

FAQ’s about Arizona.

1) Are there Tumbleweeds everywhere?
Yes and No.
In the more rural areas, one is sure to find tumbleweeds blowin’ across the desert landscape.
In the urban areas, however, we aren’t so lucky. The only things we get blowing across the landscape are bad drivers.

2) Do you have cowboys and indians?
Um. Sure! Rawhide is an authentic 1800’s town set in Scottsdale. You’re bound to see some great lookin’ cowboys there! Or, try one of our better “Cowboy” bars in town. You’re sure to get your drool on.
As for the Indians, we have ‘em. Lots of ‘em. They don’t live in tepees and they don’t ride around with bows and arrows. They pretty much just run the casinos and the ski resorts. They won’t bite.

3) Is it hot?
Is the Pope Catholic?
Of course it’s damn hot! It’s the desert!
The hottest recorded day in Phoenix was on June 26, 1990 and the temp. was 122 degrees!
But, hey, it’s a Dry Heat!
What do you think, is that hot enough for ya?

4) Is there dirt everywhere?
Yes. Even if you live in the midst of the city, the dust and dirt is carried through the air, hence coming in through your vents and landing all over your furniture. In order to keep my house dusted and looking clean at all times, I must dust every single day. However, living out in the middle of the desert, the dust and dirt is obviously worse and I feel so sorry for those who must deal with it.

5) Do you see Gila Monsters and Wolves a lot?
I don’t see Gila Monsters so much, no. The Gila Monsters live more in the southern part of the state, like Tuscon and such. We don’t have wolves, we have coyotes, and yes, we see those quite a bit. Especially since with the housing boom, more and more building is going on in their natural habitat. They are beginning to learn eating habits from garbage cans and such, so sightings of coyotes even within the cities is growing. Another animal that we are beginning to see more frequently are Bob Cats. Wow, those little suckers are evil!

6) Do you get tired of all the sunshine?
It sounds crazy, but YES! It would be so perfect if we got a little more rainy days around here mixed in with the constant sunshine. Besides, the rain helps to keep the dust levels at a minimum.

7) How do you stay cool when the summers are so hot?
You either swim, or don’t leave the house. If you must get out of the house for a while, you swim. It’s that simple. There is no other way to stay cool around here in the summertime.

8) Do you have trees, or only cacti in the desert?
We have trees. Of course, loads of cacti, but you’ll find trees too. Our trees aren’t as green as other places in the country. Ours are sort of a dirty green due to lack of water in the desert. We do have a lot of different kinds of trees that will grow in arid regions that are pretty trees. We don’t have many deciduous trees, so when you come across one you cherish it. Having leaves fall off of the trees is the only real way that you can tell if it’s fall around here. Seasons don’t change much.

9) You say you love to garden. Can you plant flowers in the desert, or do you have to just plant cacti?
Amazingly enough, there is a wide variety of flowers that one can plant in this region. Because we offer long seasons of mild weather and sunshine, the colors of the flowers are vibrant and amazing! Plants that normally have a “blooming season”, bloom year round in these parts, like roses. We have the most amazing rose farm just outside of Glendale, as a matter of fact. To garden in Arizona, however, takes some research and a lot of trial and error on your part. While they ship plants to certain regions based on their hardiness, there is no growing guides, time frames, or gardening calendars that fit our desert climate. We have had to create our own gardening guides and get very creative with it. However, one can successfully grow everything from bulbs to vegetables in the desert. Micro-climates are the secret, along with proper plant grouping to ensure survival.

10) Do you have to leave the state to find cooler weather?
Not at all. That is the beauty of Arizona! We can drive just two hours north and hit beautiful mountain country and even snow in the winter. Arizona affords mostly desert conditions, however, it’s just a hop,skip, and jump from dusty desert to beautiful tree filled mountains with spectacular views, great weather with actual seasons, and a totally different atmosphere. We are lucky in that way!

If you have any questions that you’d like to ask me, please do so! Just your question and I will answer as soon as possible! I will post your question, answer, and name here.