Desert Bloom Part 2 - News From The Locals

Facts From the Folks in Phoenix

New to Phoenix, I am now an Arizonan. An Arizonan in Phoenix is someone who wakes up to sunshine 300 days a year with an average daily temp of 74F, who doesn't require A/C until it reaches 90F(it’s a DRY heat!), where city parks have ‘No Horses Allowed’ signs and streets warn of “Roadrunner Crossing”. Most lawns are cared for using a rake to groom the dirt and stone and a broom to sweep up the red dust. Scattered here and there are a wide variety of flowering bushes and trees bespeckled with colors of purple, yellow and orange where Mockingbirds sing. Palm trees are abundant but be careful not to back up into a Saguaro Cactus. Our State flower, creamy white with yellow centers, blooms in May and June on the tops of the arms of these majestic columns and range from 18” to 24” in diameter. The trunk grows only about 1” per year up to anywhere between 15 and 50 feet. Mountains for hiking are located throughout the city. Just watch for rattle snakes and scorpions. But a hearty hike is definitely worth your while if you love incredible sunrises and sunsets.

Phoenix is nestled in a valley within the Sonoran Desert and is surrounded by mountains. It is not unusual for me to see anywhere from 2 to 10 hot air balloons drifting in the sky on my way to work.

Phoenix was named in 1868 after the mythical bird that came to life out of dust as did this city and was first incorporated in 1881. In 1950, Phoenix had a population of 106,000 over an area of 17.1 Sq. miles and now 58 years later, it is the 5th largest city in the nation with a population of over 1.5 million and covers an area of over 500 Sq. miles.

Phoenix is a vibrant, young city with plenty to offer in the way of food, shopping, museums, arts, festivals, PIR (Nascar racetrack), University of Phoenix Stadium where the Giants beat the Patriots, and ASU to name a few.

It is also home to Senator McCain (we all know who he is and who he wants to be), Sandra Day O’Connor (we’re moving her home to a historical site to save it from the wrecking ball), Wayne Gretsky and Alice Cooper. Other current or past residents include, Reggie Jackson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Geronimo, Wyatt Earp, Zane Grey, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie?), Don Knotts (Barney Fife), Glen Campbell(By the Time I Get to Phoenix), John Denver, John Wayne(Well, Pilgrim), Lee Marvin (Dirty Dozen), Robert Mitchum, Ted Danson(Cheers), Lynda Carter (Wonderwoman), Jordin Sparks and Brooke White (the latter two on Idol).

Oh, and Paul Harvey…..and now….you know the rest of the story!

Posted on behalf of Roma Leaming of our fine Phoenix office