Fountain Hills, Arizona: What it means to live for the weekend

We arrived in the Phoenix area about six weeks ago. Our first house sit was in the north west section of Phoenix, and we have moved easterly each time. We're now in Fountain Hills, which is the most north eastern town in the Greater Phoenix area. It is set apart from the remainder of Phoenix by being on the easterly slope of the McDowell Mountain range, and sits about 500 feet (152 metres) above the elevation of the rest of Phoenix.

One of the many mountain ranges surrounding this area

The town's slogan invites you to "experience Fountain Hills" and "gain a fresh perspective on what it means to live for the weekend". If you click on the tourism link and watch the photos stream by you'll get a good idea of the landscape and beauty of the area. Then click on the "visit" tab and you'll see the various activities and points of interest. As Greg said yesterday, it is yet another piece of paradise.

At the centre of the town is Fountain Park, with what was originally the tallest fountain in the world. It is now the fourth tallest. Most days only two of its three pumps are used and the fountain reaches a height of 300 feet (91 metres). With three pumps, it reaches 560 feet (170 metres). It's unusual to see a lake in the middle of the desert, and the fountain can be seen from almost any area in the town. It sprays water starting on the hour, every hour from 9 am to 9 pm, for 15 minutes.

Fountain Hills is a relatively young town; started with the building of the fountain in 1970. The community was designed by the same man who designed southern California's Disneyland. The town incorporated in 1989, and currently has a population of approximately 23,000.

We have been told the man who designed the fountain wanted as much as possible for everyone to have a view of the lake and fountain. Also, he chose to not have any street lights to maintain the natural habit of the wildlife as much as possible. At night, it reminds me of camping as you can see the stars and hear the owls nearby. It's like living out in the country, as we are quite far removed from the rest of Phoenix.

We'll be here for two weeks, so we'll have an opportunity to explore more of the town. Of course, our new friend Mikko will come with us too. After their walk this morning, Greg groomed him. It looks like he enjoys it!

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Location: Fountain Hills (Phoenix), Arizona, USA
Housesitting: Mikko, a shih tzu
Weather: 58ºF (14ºC) at 4 pm
Forecast: High of 58ºF (14ºC), low of 40ºF (4ºC)

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Note: Photos of pets and homes are only used with the prior consent of the owners.

Town information from: Experience Fountain Hills, Town of Fountain Hills,  & Wikipedia.