Salud,
Showcase 2009 has concluded for another year. Thanks to many of you who stopped by to visit and take a look at the Stowe’s Armijo House. Even though Showcase weekends are taxing, they are also very invigorating. Being able to show you our work is gratifying. This particular project gave us a chance to show you another side of Soledad Canyon Earth Builders. The style of this home was not our typical southwestern/New Mexico look. 
I dubbed it the “Alameda Style”….Uniquely Alameda! With its pitched roof line, wood floors, and white painted cabinets and trim it blends right into the neighborhood. Yet, its distinctive characteristics make it a stand-out addition to the neighborhood. The xeriscaped yard (the Mesquite trees will grow up), the metal roof, the two car garage, and the ceramic light sconces add a fresh look to the Alameda District. My utmost gratitude to the Stowe’s for allowing us to show off their home. Their flexibility, humor and kindness made this particular home a joy to work on. Mil Gracias. For those of you who were not able to come by you can see a video of the home with You Tube.
The other home we have just completed has also brought me great satisfaction and pride, personally as well as professionally. The 4,000 sq. ft. contemporary home south of the city is a beautiful example of how contemporary architecture with southwest colors and textures fit into our environment so well. The large expanses of glass, concrete and slate allow the interior and exterior to live & flow easily and beautifully. Because the style was so different in so many aspects I thought it would challenge my abilities. 
It was out my “comfort” zone. Wrong. It just showed me that a custom home is a custom home, no matter what style it is. I am amazed at how “easy” it was to complete this home. I do know, for sure, that the reason it was “easy” was because of the unique person and unique circumstances that came with the project, as well as a few years of experience under my belt. Both Robin & I lost our life partner within a couple of months of each other. Our common bond made it possible to create the strength we needed to move forward. This is a photo of the exterior of Robin’s home.
Our current project, the Jones’ home, is proceeding on schedule. What a delightful, fun, freeing home! One of the firsts in this home is the rammed earth walls with 90 degree angles! A contemporary, small-is-beautiful home for Georgia transplants. Speaking of the South-Debbie treated us to lunch on the back porch of the house under construction. Not an ordinary lunch-but one of all Southern cookin’! It was fabulous and so much appreciated by the hard working Soledad Crew. We also appreciate Vester’s watchful eye while building their home. By the end of this project he will thoroughly understand what it takes to build a rammed earth home from the ground up!
To all our past clients: If you had a security system installed in your home and never had Allied Burglar & Fire Alarms come out and review the system, they are available to do so at no cost. If you do not have the system monitored we invite you to consider it. In addition, if you opted for just pre-wired provisions you may want to consider installation. They would be glad to talk to you about your options, questions or concerns at whatever level you need. Call Jimmy (or Ernesto) at their office 575-527-2151.. No one ever expects to have a problem-it’s an insurance policy.
Thanks to all our new subscribers! Welcome to the world from our view in sunny, southern New Mexico. Feel free to correspond with me via my direct email: pat@adobe-home.com. I’ll answer any questions, from good places to eat, places to check out and my favorite subject, custom rammed earth homes. Sustainable construction is the name of our game-let us know if you want to join the fun.
In my effort to keep my E-newsletter fast and easy to read I will conclude with thoughts for future correspondence……banning the word Green, where to retreat from the hot summer days, building a home with a basement, what it means to build your dream home, or what it means to have loyal employees.
Here’s to the New Mexico Home Builders Association and the Las Cruces Home Builders Association as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary!
As the weekend approaches may we honor all those who have gone before us with special thoughts this Memorial Day, have a glass of wine for me if you are attending the Southern New Mexico Wine Festival this weekend, if you are staying in, enjoy a good read, if you are heading up to the Lake stay safe. As for me, I will be celebrating my niece’s high school graduation with my family. Congratulations, Cara!
Happy Summer Days,
Pat Bellestri-Martinez