There’s something about Arizona that is difficult to explain until you’ve lived here. Maybe it’s the endless blue sky, the glow of the desert during golden hour, a captivating sunrise or sunset, or the silhouettes of saguaros standing quietly on a mountain ridge.
Over time, we realized it wasn’t just one thing that made us love Arizona — it was the combination of all the things to do and see here, along with the weather, scenery, and the constantly changing desert landscape.
Happy Tuesday!
Thanks for taking time out of your day to visit. It’s good to have you here.
Get yourself a cup of coffee or an iced tea and stay a while. I have lots to share today.
Arizona Life
When I first moved to Arizona, I worried I would miss the green landscapes back East. Then I remembered that during the winter, most of the Pennsylvania trees stand bare and the grass disappears beneath the snow. I also knew that when we returned to our summer home in the Spring, the green came back. What I didn’t realize, though, was that the desert has its own kind of magic — after just a few rains, it, too, can turn beautifully green.
Our Skies
Our skies are less than ordinary. We have intense Blue Skies quite regularly.
I think it is the Wide Open Spaces that make our skies stand out. They become quite scenic when you add clouds.
A sunrise or sunset can transform those scenic clouds into something quite dramatic.
Saguaros
When people think of Arizona, saguaros are usually one of the first things that come to mind. But seeing them in person is something else entirely.
Every single one is different!
Some have lots of arms.
When some have no arms at all.
Some take on human likeness.
Saguaros live here in the Sonoran Desert and do not grow at elevations over 4500 ft. They cannot tolerate freezing temperatures at higher elevations.
Changing Landscapes
One of the most surprising things about Arizona is how quickly the landscape changes. Within a few hours, you can travel from cactus-filled desert to pine forests and cool mountain air.
Beautiful Places
When people think of Arizona, they most often think of the beautiful scenery of Sedona. We are proud of our Red Rocks, which are mostly made of Sandstone. Instead of the wide desert flats, Sedona offers steep vertical rock walls and tight canyons. Instead of saguaros, we see pines, junipers, and brush.
Sedona
Petrified Forest National Park
Located in Northeastern Arizona is an area with the world’s largest collection of petrified wood, over 225 million years old. Unlike some national parks that have woodlands or mountains, this one is flat and ancient looking.
Ruins From Years Ago
The old ruins out in Arizona look like pieces of another life left behind in the desert. You can still see where Native Americans once lived, long before the gold miners arrived to search for their fortune. There are broken stone walls, old mines, weathered wood, and dusty trails that make the whole place feel straight out of the Old West Movies. Everything has a story that needs to be told!
Arizona Public Lands
We like to go four wheeling with friends.
Arizona is made up of about 56% of Public Land! Almost 30 million acres of federal public lands can be explored! And we have explored a lot of it. We have seen the beautiful backcountry of Arizona and we do come across interesting places and sights.
And then we see signs like this!
Many of the Arizona Petroglyphs are old. Anywhere between 800 to 5,000 years old!
So Much More!
And honestly, I’ve only scratched the surface of Arizona. Beyond the places I’ve already shared, there’s still so much waiting out there — stretches of historic Route 66, the charm of the London Bridge in Lake Havasu, the awe of the Grand Canyon, the breathtaking curve of Horseshoe Bend, the glowing sandstone walls of Antelope Canyon, and the beauty of The Wave. Arizona isn’t just one trip or one story — it’s the kind of place that keeps calling us back for another adventure.
I know our journey here in Arizona is far from over. We have so much more to discover.
Thank You
Thank you for reading and experiencing a little piece of Arizona life with us. We truly love it here, and through this blog I hope to share just a glimpse of our life, our adventures, and the beauty that surrounds us every day.
As always, we truly appreciate you being here. Thank you for joining us for another Tuesday Tidbits.
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Thank you for sharing information about AZ and all of the amazing photos! I had no idea there was so much public land in AZ. That is so cool! I knew a bit about the differences between the southern part of the state and the northern but it is amazing to think about and to see pictures of! I loved reading about the saguaros and seeing wonderful photos you have of them. I also love how much you love your state! This is making me want to visit AZ soon :).
There is such a rugged beauty to Arizona, I know why you enjoy every moment. Thank you Nancy for sharing your experiences.
Oh Nancy how you make me want to go back to my New Mexico, when I look at your lovely photos. Most people don’t understand the beauty of the SouthWest but it is ever present and ever changing with the seasons. I love that you are educating those who think of the SW as ugly, dry desert. We have ice caves in N.M. and so many ruins from past Indian and present Indian tribes, as well as old mining towns and quaint little villages. The churches alone are amazing as Santa Fe lays claim to the oldest church in the U.S. The Sky City Mesa where Native Americans still live and the blue skies. You captured those gorgeous blues of your Arizona skies that leap over into my New Mexico. We also have petroglyphs and lava ruins which are black and hard as coal…and of course Carlsbad Caverns and the Blue Hole where one can scuba dive 80 feet down with 100 ft crystal clear visibility. And yes, we have snow in the higher elevations which tend to shock first timers to our state….(Flag or Flagstaff is well known for the snow in your Arizona). In New Mexico, The Indian paintbrush flowers all year long and are always present in and on our mountain trails. Thank you for sharing your Arizona….every one of your photos should be in a magazine….Remember ‘Arizona Highways’? Perhaps together, we can/have piqued the interest of travelers to make a visit to the sister states of both Arizona and New Mexico. Have a great and Blessed day…we are fortunate to witness and live in the beauty God has created for us.
Oh…this is such a great summary of why we love it here. I’m going to share in my email.
XOOX
Jodie
Awe! Thank you!!😘
What a fun post! I’ve seen some of AZ but mostly northern AZ and Sedona (for any length of time) and Wickenberg. But you’ve shown us so much more. I’m surprised at all the green in the desert areas!
All of your images are excellent, but I adore your composition of the wire in the foreground and the old corral in the background. What a story that photo tells! Many of those places are familiar to me, but there are a few I need to return to AZ to experience – hopefully sooner than later. Great post!
You should be a travel writer, Nancy, in how you share about your second home in the amazing state of Arizona. My own best pastel pics come from the desert southwest!
If we hadn’t moved north and knew before that many friends and family moved to Arizona, we would have landed in Payson or Flagstaff to be closer to everyone. I still need my mountains and evergreens, but our annual winter visits to AZ floats my boat. Thanks for sharing your amazing photos, my friend! I’m so glad we have this connection in common!
Oh Nancy! I learned so much about your beautiful Arizona, and your photos are stunning! Thank you!
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Wonderful post. Beautiful dersert photos. It looks quite green. I lover the Petrified Forest. That “Fore wheelers…” sign is a awsome find.
Nancy, the photos are stunning and your commentary is excellent! Arizona is a beautiful state! America is a beautiful country and I think most takes its beauty for granted. We have been to Sedona, Winslow, Flagstaff and enjoyed a driving on Route 66. I was sharing your post with Butch and he said we need to revisit AZ. Of course, the Grand Canyon is beyond description! Thank you for sharing the beauty of your state!
Blessings my friend,
Pam