Leslie Prest, Owner, Assoc. Broker, ePro Prest Realty, Payson, AZ

Hi from Payson, AZ. By no means everyone in Arizona knows where Payson is (I know this by the blank looks I get when I mention it to someone in Phoenix). We're about an hour and a half drive north of the Phoenix area, and about 5,000 ft. UP. Long-time residents have their own vocabulary.

These are a few of my favorite Payson-isms:

Seasonal creeks- The first time I went to see a house that listed a seasonal creek on the property I couldn't figure out what they meant, until someone pointed out a dry ditch meandering across the backyard. Then I nearly died laughing. But I HAVE learned a little respect for these. I've seen them fill up fast when it rains hard in the Monsoon. They come in variable sizes, from ditch to dry wash.

Pigs- This is what a lot of locals call javelinas. Which really confuses the issue, considering that they aren't pigs at all, they are actually large rodents. They look rather like the Arkansas Razorback pictures (my Dad graduated from there- go Hogs!), they come out more at twilight and night so they blend in. Often you can SMELL them before you see them, as they have scent glands in their feet and stink something awful. Newcomers are warned to watch for them- they don't see well and tend to fight rather than flee when startled. They also LOVE to eat your newly-planted flowers.

Mazatzal Mountains- The odd thing about them is the pronunciation. Instead of the way it is spelled, locals pronounce it Ma-ta-sell, or as a commercial for the local Indian Casino (Mazatzal Casino) put it a few years ago: Mad as Hell, (now you got it). These are a very nice view to the south of Payson. A rain or snow storm across the Mazatzals, with the sun shining across them, is a sight to see.

The Rim- this is the Mogollan Rim, actually the edge of the Colorado Plateau. It's an impressive sight, especially in Monsoon, with thunderheads building up over it. All of the surrounding areas are called "Rim Country". Mogollan is a Spanish name, so the ll is pronounced like a y. It is also sometimes calle the Tonto Rim, for the Tonto Apaches, I understand,

Mesa del- This is short for Mesa del Caballo (Horse Mesa). Its a subdivision a couple of miles from Payson out Houston Mesa Road, and is one of the few places where one could have their own caballo in their backyard (one per lot).

the River- this means the East Verde river, which winds around north of Payson. locals talk about the "first crossing", "second crossing". this refers to places where the control road ( a dirt road connecting Hwy 87 with Hwy 260) crosses the E. Verde.

More another time.

Payson has a great fireworks show. They shoot them out over Green Valley Lake, the park around fills with people. We usually love it. But this year it drizzled rain and we didn't feel like sitting in it for hours to get a spot.
We took our Jeep Wrangler on a dirt road toward the edge of a hill overlooking the town (off Airport Rd. if you know Payson) and sat in comfort as we waited for the fireworks. Below is a photo of the town that evening.
Much of the hillside along Airport Rd. is going to houses soon, but parts are still "wild". We expected to see some wildlife, but a truck full of kids came and the noise chased any animals away.