sky island
n.— «As breezes from the Gulf of Mexico lift over the Chiricahua Mountains, an exceptional amount of rain falls on this desert region, which has bee aptly called a “sky island.” The volcanic soil among the rock and ample shade produce an ideal microclimate for lush vegetation. Birds, animals, insects and reptiles live exceedingly well in such salubrious surroundings.» —“The Nameless Rocks in Arizona’s ‘Sky Island’” in Wilcox, Arizona New York Times Nov. 2, 1969. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
You can’t help wondering if some astronomers listen to rock music as they gaze at the stars, given that a couple of names in The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names(Amazon) honor the band Yes and also Procol Harum. This is part of a complete...
Corey in Buffalo, New York, says her family uses the word unta for “the piece of bread you use to sop up the last bite of what you’re eating.” They also use it as a verb, as in I’m going to unta. Her family is half Sephardic...