Why Do Rabbits Have White Tails?

Desert Cottontail Rabbit

Q: Why do rabbits have white tails? A: A rabbit’s tail, by the way, is called a scut. It comes from a Middle English word meaning rabbit or hare. Here’s another good rabbit word, fomm. A fomm is a little pocket shelter a rabbit makes by trampling down grass or small shrubs.

Tree Stump Sculptures Adorn Chandler Golf Course

Tree stump sculpture

CHANDLER — After summer monsoon winds knocked down several large trees on the SunBird Golf Course in 2005, the course operators decided that, rather than tear out the stumps, they’d turn them into works of art. So they hired local artist Bob Jordan, commonly known as “Chainsaw Bob,” to convert the stumps into sculptures.

Why Do People Put Cups on Cacti?

Cups on Cacti

Q: My husband and I recently drove to Cave Creek and along the way we noticed many people had put plastic-foam cups on their cactuses. I said this is for protection from the frost, but my husband said it was some sort of Christmas decoration. Who wins?

Odd Ways to Hydrate Your Christmas Tree

xmas tree-thumb

I got a letter from a woman whose husband wants to soak their Christmas tree in the pool for a couple of days before putting it up. She sounded quite worried about this.

I have never thrown a Christmas tree into a swimming pool, so I don’t know what effect, if any, the needles would have on the pool filter.

How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard

Javelina

Q: We have a herd of javelinas that have decided to come down to a common area in our neighborhood directly behind our house and use it for a latrine. If you’ve never smelled javelina poop, it’s something else. Is there anything that will repel these creatures? I tried mothballs already.

A: Thank you for sharing your thoughts about javelina poop. I really wasn’t hungry for lunch anyway.