A windy day before another snowstorm.
A little ad I made after Carson cleared our driveway with his awesome plow.
A windy day before another snowstorm.
A little ad I made after Carson cleared our driveway with his awesome plow.
Christmas caroling at the Sensings
First real snow, and first time sledding. It’s beginning to look like Christmas on the Palouse!
I wrote the following review of Anderson Family Construction for Houzz.
Anderson Family Construction built our home on acreage near Moscow, Idaho in 2018, and we are absolutely thrilled! We have a growing family, and really wanted a place that would incorporate a lot of very busy life. They modified the design to fit our family, incorporating some special features that were specific to us, including a foundation stone that has sentimental value to us, a butcher-block counter that used to be part of our family restaurant, and gorgeous built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcases in the large study, as I often work from home and own several thousand books.
I was warned several times by friends who had built their homes that “building your own home is very stressful.” The building process was the one element of this whole move that really wasn’t stressful to us, and I think that is because of a very key ingredient that is somewhat rare in the homebuilding and construction industry: trust. It’s not that there were zero bumps (though there were very few), but we had full confidence that AFC was made up of owners and employees of integrity. We had much of this confidence going in because we knew several of the crew, and they did not disappoint. The builders (from the earth movers, to the framers, to the drywallers, to the woodworkers) had obvious pride in a job well done. We weren’t dealing with time-punchers, but a guild of craftsmen who delighted in solving problems and making beautiful results.
AFC kept to the budget, did most of the build in 4 months, and most of all gave us a very high-quality, high-efficiency, cozy, elegant home.
We like to say it is a “new home with an old soul,” combining 21st-century latest in building technology with a classic, “farmhouse” design we love so much. The foundation was poured using the innovative FoxBlocks, and the siding is LP Smartside. Combined with the high efficiency 33 SEER Mitsubishi HVAC for our heating and cooling, we have an energy efficient home with very reasonable utility bills as a result (tracked with Sense and SensorPush).
I highly recommend AFC for any construction or remodel work, but particularly recommend their semi-custom, affordable yet gorgeous, high-quality home building.
I would happily give more details about our home and build process to anyone interested in using AFC – contact me through foucachon.com. #AFCBuilt
See more photos, including photos and videos of construction, as well the incredible view, at Foucachon Farmhouse
A few construction videos:
Tom Garfield of Heritage Arts Academy painted this watercolor based on the image of the view on Moscow Mountain from our kitchen sink. Beautiful work, Tom!
Five years ago today, my grandfather, Lucien Foucachon, was gathered to his people. He loved to write poetry and wrote the poem below for our wedding in June 2008.
I miss you Papy!
L’Ouest américain les a fait se rencontrer
Et la vie qui parfois sait vous jouer des tours
Sous le ciel d’Idaho, ils se sont bien trouvés
Pour conjuguer ensemble ce que l’on nomme l’amour.Daniel et Lydia
Edifier un futur c’est là leur avenir
Des coeurs pleins de projets, une période heureuse
Vécue dans l’allégresse, une vie à bâtir
Un chemin de bonheur, une route joyeuseDaniel et Lydia
Construire une famille sur un modèle ancien
En être héritier, ne pas rompre la ligne
Aspirer Ă poursuivre pour unique seul bien
Le désire de savoir et d’en demeurer digneDaniel et Lydia
Chemins riants ou sombres, ils la parcourront
Cette vie de bonheur parfois semée de peines
Mais quelqu’un leur dira qu’il leur fait tenir bon
Quelqu’un qui les chérit et quelqu’un qui les aimeDaniel et Lydia
L’océan nous sépare des êtres qui nous sont chers
Cette lointaine Amérique qui pourtant les enseigne
Voyageurs en recherche, ils sont loin de leurs pères
Consolation pour nous car là -bas la foi règneDaniel et Lydia
—Lucien Foucachon, June 2008.
Here is an English translation which does not do it justice by a long shot. Some of the poetic turns-of-phrase are very hard to translate. They are beautiful in French!
The American West brought them together
And life, which occasionally throws you curveballs
Under the Idaho sky, they found each other
To come together in what we call love.
Daniel and Lydia
Building a future, that is what’s in store
Hearts full of projects, a happy period
lived in joy, a life to be built
A path of happiness, a road of joy.
Daniel and Lydia
Founding a family on an ancient model
To be an inheritor, to not break the line
Aspiring to pursue as unique only good
The desire of knowing and staying worthy [of that heritage].
Daniel and Lydia
An ocean separates us from those whom we cherish
That faraway America, which, however, teaches them
Voyagers in search, they are far from their fathers
A consolation for us, for over there, the faith reigns.
Daniel and Lydia.