Arizona

Whether you are a full time resident or just a visitor, antique and collector shopping in Arizona is a lot of fun. Many people visit the Goodwill Industries Stores in search of antique china, silver, jewelry, vintage clothing and more. In my opinion, the best Goodwill Industries Store to visit is the store located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale is a very affluent community and you will find many treasures there. This Goodwill Industries Store is located on 2115 North Scottsdale Rd. Directly across the street from this Goodwill are two terrific antique stores where you can spend many, many hours. My recent finds were a limited addition “Perth” Ice Wizard pewter figurine. I purchased it for $15.00 and was pleasantly surprised to find out that the market value for this stunning item was over $600.

They also carry new and gently used designer brand clothing. I purchased a gently used designer “Valentino” dresses at an extraordinary price. You must go early in the day to make your finds. Every other Saturday merchandise is fifty percent off. Students from Arizona State University shop here because of the proximity to the campus. Many e-Bayers shop here to find bargains to resell. If you are on a tight budget, you will certainly save a buck. You can get discount coupons online at the Arizona Goodwill Organization webpage. The money from your purchases goes to a good cause!

Arizona offers a variety of fishing including lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Trout season is year round in Arizona. Fishing in the cooler waters in northern Arizona, especially for trout, is more active during the warmer, summer months. In the trout streams and lakes of the White Mountains, the rare Apache trout can be found.

Those age 14 and older fishing any public accessible water in Arizona must have a valid Arizona Fishing License, and if fishing for trout must have a trout stamp as well. You don’t need an Arizona Fishing License in private ponds or lakes.

Trout fishing is very good fishing in the Colorado River. Small mouth bass can be had on famous Roosevelt Lake. Large mouth and strippers can be fished at Lake Pleasant, just outside of Phoenix. Warm water fishing places in Arizona are located in the lakes of the Salt River region from east of Phoenix, and the lower Colorado River. Arizona fly fishing is filled with great opportunities and with so many different places to visit such as Hawley Lake in the White Mountains, Canyon Creek, or Woods Canyon.

My favorite spot is located in Greer located in the White Mountains. People in southern Arizona can visit Patagonia Lake and even Woods Canyon Lake up on Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. No wonder fishing in Arizona is considered the best. Before you go you can check out the Arizona Weekly Fishing report

The Mexican Red Bird of Paradise plant (Caesalpinia mexicana) is one of the most spectacular flowering plants in my Arizona desert landscaping. This plant transforms my desert landscaping into a spectacular site during the summer and early fall. It attracts everyone’s attention when it blooms. It produces magnificent blooms of a number of orange-to-red petals and one petal that are yellow.

The plant is also known by the name “Pride of Barbados”. It is native to the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. The Bird of Paradise is heat and drought tolerant and can grow to 10-20′ tall. It is a deciduous plant which looses its leaves when the temperature reaches the freezing point. It uses very little water. It attracts bees and butterflies. The plant is self-propagating and in the fall you can actually hear the seed pods burst open when standing next to them. The seeds and plant are poisonous if ingested. I always cut the branches back to the ground in the fall. This cutting back and removing dead branches helps produce big and better plants during the next bloom.

Just north of Flagstaff, Arizona is a majestic mountain range called the San Francisco Peaks. This range was formed from volcanic rock. It is the focal point of the area and can be seen for miles around. The mountain’s elevation is one of the highest in the state. While Flagstaff is 7,000 feet above sea level, the San Francisco Peaks range measures 13,000 feet above sea level. Many of the Native American Indian tribes consider this mountainous area to be sacred. This range is located in Coconino County. The area is wooded with Alpine, Douglas fir, Aspen, Ponderosa pine, juniper and similar trees, forest plant life and grasslands. The mountain offers skiing and hiking opportunities to the local people as well as the tourists. Wildlife is abundant in the forest. You may see elk, deer, bears, wild turkeys, porcupines, racoons and a beautiful variety of birds. This scenic mountain is the foundation of the area’s tourism industry.