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Arizona Oddities

  • Home
  • Your Guides
  • Departments
    • Art
    • Dose of History
    • Culture
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    • Odd Observations
    • Weather Talk
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Tag: desert

Home›Posts Tagged "desert"
  • Keep centipedes away from your house
    Natural SurroundingsOnly in Arizona
    By Taylor Haynes
    November 11, 2019
    8398
    0

    How to Keep Centipedes Away from Your House

    There are enough creepy crawlies in Arizona to keep anyone awake at night: tarantulas, scorpions, you name it – scary bugs are abundant in this corner of the country. We’ve covered how to keep scorpions away from your home, so make sure to check out that post too. One critter regularly winning awards for the ...
    Read More
  • Dose of HistoryNatural Surroundings
    By Taylor Haynes
    May 13, 2019
    12210
    0

    Palm Trees Aren’t Native to Arizona, So How Did They End Up Here?

    Nothing quite says “desert oasis” like a cluster of slender palm trees. They’re found all over the southwest, lining the highway, parks and found in many of our backyards. The iconic trees are tall and majestic, not even bending with the wind. Though palms are a seeming eternal installation from Phoenix to Los Angeles, the ...
    Read More
  • Natural SurroundingsValley of the Sun
    By Andrea Aker
    November 30, 2015
    1595
    0

    Singh Farms is Oasis Off the 101

    Most of the drivers rushing up and down the 101 are unaware of the desert oasis that’s blooming just northeast of Thomas Road in Scottsdale. A line of unassuming trees block the traffic from a lush and surprisingly quiet farm full of organic fruits and veges.
    Read More
  • Desert Sunset
    Odd ObservationsWeather Talk
    By Andrea Aker
    August 1, 2014
    6934
    1

    How Folks Kept Cool in Old Arizona

    People often ask, “How did you survive the hot summers in the Valley before air conditioning?” Best answer I can think of is we didn’t know what we were missing. Here are some ways people coped with our heat in the good ole' days.
    Read More
  • Boojum tree
    Natural Surroundings
    By Sam Lowe
    November 18, 2013
    4806
    2

    The Legacy of Boojum Trees

    People who have nightmares about being chased by giant parsnips should avoid contact with the boojum trees. Fortunately, boojums are quite rare and do not move over the landscape to frighten humans. Despite that, they are weird. They resemble huge parsnips or green carrots sticking upside down out of the earth.
    Read More
  • Organ Pipe Cactus
    Natural SurroundingsRecreationSouthern Arizona
    By Andrea Aker
    May 21, 2013
    2161
    0

    Southern Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Declared “Hidden Gem”

    Arizona’s natural, diverse landscape has garnered international acclaims and attention, yet many scenic parks continue to fly under the mainstream radar. One such spot – the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Ajo and Why – is getting a much-deserved shout out by Country.
    Read More
  • Natural Surroundings
    By Andrea Aker
    December 6, 2012
    1975
    1

    Can You Fall Through the Earth’s Desert Crust?

    ​Q: I say the desert is just sand and dirt and rocks and desert plants, but my husband claims he read somewhere that it is really covered with a hard crust that you can fall through. What’s he talking about? A: You people...
    Read More
  • Valley Canal System
    Natural SurroundingsValley of the SunWeather Talk
    By Andrea Aker
    July 18, 2011
    9709
    7

    Why Does the Valley Have a Canal System, and How Does it Work?

    Q: What are the canals for, and how do they work? A: Bibbity, bobbity boo. Next question, please. Oh, all right, we’ll tell you: Farms and gravity. Really. The miles and miles of canals maintained by the Salt River Project were put there to bring water to thirsty acres of alfalfa, cotton, citrus and dates. Although there are a ...
    Read More
  • Big Surf
    Dose of HistoryRecreationValley of the Sun
    By Andrea Aker
    May 21, 2011
    6099
    4

    World’s First Wave Pool Returns to its Roots

    Did you know the Valley is home to the world’s first wave pool? “Waikiki Beach” at Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe has welcomed desert beach bums for more than four decades. Today, it remains the third largest wave pool worldwide, containing some 2.5 million gallons of water. The wave pool is the brainchild of Phoenix construction ...
    Read More
  • Natural SurroundingsOdd ObservationsValley of the Sun
    By Andrea Aker
    March 3, 2011
    5169
    0

    Are Horny Toads Disappearing from Phoenix?

    Q: When I was a kid growing up in Phoenix there used to be horny toads everywhere. I even had a pet horny toad. Now I never see them. What happened to all the horny toads? A: You had a pet horny toad? That’s sad. Couldn’t you get your parents to buy you a dog or ...
    Read More
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Arizona Oddities Archive

Most Popular Posts

  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home
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This Week Past Years

2019

  • McDonald’s Arches Take a Different Hue in Sedona

2018

  • Get Your Arizona Wine Fix at Cornville Wineries

2017

  • Shake, Rattle & Roll: Rattlesnake Avoidance Training

2015

  • The Legend of Apache Cave
  • No Lettuce Cooking at Yuma Lettuce Days

2014

  • Featured Artist: Marty Le Messurier

2013

  • The Story of J Goldwater & Bros: Commerce on the Colorado River

2012

  • Besh-Ba-Gowah: The Non-Ruin Ruins in Globe
  • Ewing Young: The Southwest’s Premier Mountain Man

2011

  • The Wounded Goddess Atop the State Capitol Dome

2010

  • Do Your Feet Get Bigger When You Move to the Desert?
  • Know the Origin of the Highway 89 Screamers?
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  • Find a Famous Writer and Explorer's Mountain Retreat in Greer

    Find a Famous Writer and Explorer’s Historic Mountain Retreat in Greer

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 31, 2020
  • thousands of Mexican free tail bats make Phoenix tunnel their summer home

    Thousands of Mexican Free-Tail Bats Make Phoenix Tunnel Their Summer Home

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 17, 2020
  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home

    By Andrea Aker
    January 3, 2011
  • Javelina

    How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard

    By Andrea Aker
    November 23, 2011
  • Phil Motta
    on
    August 27, 2021

    Why Does Downtown Phoenix Seem to Have Two Downtowns?

    I know this post ...
  • Carol
    on
    October 17, 2020

    The Tucson Artifacts are the Southwest’s Greatest Hoax

    lol ... these "clues" ...

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