This evening, nature put on quite a light show, the perfect way to cap off this memorable trip. Not sure why, but being out West seems to clear the head and set you right again. I envy the winner of this home.

Enjoy today’s photos. I promise a few sneak peek pics of Dream Home interiors  in the days to come.

Enjoy the photos … see if you can identify where these shots were snapped.

Hey folks,

The online crew arrived in Albuquerque on Sunday, and it’s been sunny and in the mid 60s ever since. Snow from last week’s squall is still visible on the mountain tops and, when we first arrived, was scattered about the desert landscape like cotton balls.

I don’t want to give away too much information about HGTV Dream Home 2010. But I must say … “Wow.” Sonoma was cozy and definitely designed with a family in mind. This sprawling 3,900-square-foot compound screams rock star to me. The kind of secluded getaway that might make the likes of Jay-Z and Beyoncé supremely happy.

And when I say getaway, I mean out there, in the middle of the desert and surrounded by nothing but mountain ranges. Sure, you may see a few luxury casitas as you stare westward from the courtyard, but they seem nothing more than mere twinkles at night. And the only sounds? Song birds chirping, crows cawing and the wind, whistling through the low pinon pine. And if you are lucky and listen very closely, you may catch the howls of coyotes, as they communicate back and forth from some distant den. We were fortunate enough to hear just that on Sunday night. Unforgettable.

I am sitting here, on the floor in the kitchen at this moment, eavesdropping on our still photographer Eric Perry, as he chats with our interactive planning director Jeannine Pace, and our panoramic photographer Bruce Cole, announcing the next room he plans to shoot for the 360-degree tour. Our photographers have discovered that sunrise and just after sunset are the best times to capture the detail and set the mood in snapshots.

My companions’ voices bounce down the corridors and seem to echo around the house – these 16-foot-tall ceilings give the home an interesting acoustic effect. But it feels comforting to hear the chatter as I jot down this quick note to you. And it helps me to envision just what this home might be like when its new owner fills the space with the laughter and conversation of loved ones.

Today, our Super Fan gives you the skinny on the eco features of HGTV Dream Home 2010. And tomorrow, the online team hops on a plane for New Mexico. We will be spending the week snapping photos and taking notes for the virtual tour, due to launch December 14. Stay tuned for some updates from the home next week. I might even share some nighttime photography — builder Mark Roccaforte tells me the night sky is simply amazing in the San Pedro Overlook neighborhood.

View the Dream Cam – Images Added Today!

Check out this awesome photo house planner Jack Thomasson sent me from his iPhone during load-in day!

Jack told me that while furniture was being loaded into the house, a big truck arrived, carrying a rock the size of a whale for the front landscape. It’s amazing!

Suffice to say, after you win the HGTV Dream Home 2010 you can tell all your friends to just “keep going until you see the house with the big rock.”

I’m off to see what else I can dig up …

Your Super Fan,

Gail

Photo by Nicholas_T

It’s Friday, so I thought we should have a little fun. I enjoyed writing the Green Home Style quiz, so I figured I should take a stab at doing a Dream Home quiz. We’ve been chatting alot about our favorite home styles and favorite parts of the country, so this quiz is dedicated to your dream place to live. If you won the lottery, where would you love to live? Take the quiz, get your results and come back here to discuss.

Take the Dream Home Quiz

We caught wind of a great program designed to support small yet innovative US businesses doing their part to drive the economy. The connection to HGTV Dream Home 2010? One of the three finalists hails from New Mexico!

The “Shine a Light” program, sponsored by NBC Universal and American Express, invited the public to nominate small businesses based on innovation, community spirit and customer service. Three finalists, winnowed from over 4,000 nominees, were chosen with the help of show host and entrepreneur Ellen DeGeneres, fashion designer and entrepreneur Diane von Furstenberg and MSNBC’s small business expert and host JJ Ramberg.

We’re very impressed by Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. (SWC), an Albuquerque-based telecommunications company that features a non-profit educational arm to serve the Navajo people in New Mexico. The corporation is building a state-of-the-art telecommunications network to reach current customers and over 6,000 homes without access to telephone service. SWC has provided folks in need with a way to connect with the rest of world and career opportunities in an area of extremely high unemployment.

SWC was awarded a $10,000 grant for its efforts and now competes against neighborhood hardware store Beacon Paint & Hardware and organic baby food company HAPPYBABY for the grand prize of $50,000 in grant money, $50,000 in marketing support and a guest spot on MSNBC’s small business show, “Your Business.” Won’t you take a moment and cast your vote for SWC? Voting continues through October 16; the winning business will be announced on October 19.

Editorial Disclaimer: This post is in conjunction with our Sponsor American Express in partnership with NBC Universal for Shine A Light.

So many of you have asked about HGTV Dream Home’s contemporary Southwest style that I thought I would go into some detail today.

Here are a few things that our fabulous builder brought to this year’s DH.

•In place of adobe walls, our builder chose to do thickened walls. Why? They are easier and faster to build and, more importantly, says builder Mark Roccaforte, “Adobe is a mass and we chose to insulate with blown insulation rather than mass insulation.” This pays homage to old adobe-style homebuilding techniques, but with modern features that add to the home’s comfort.

•Also, old adobe homes were built with a primitive roofing system: a wood ceiling covered with a layer of dirt. The builder mimicked the look by adding tongue-and-groove, pine-wood ceilings throughout. But the roofing is foam insulated with a UV-rated elastomeric paint coating to match the exterior stucco.

•The exterior finish is not traditional stucco, which is known to crack due to its cement content. The builder chose an elastomeric stucco finish that expands and contracts like a rubber band as the temperatures fluctuate.

•And, finally, the interior beams are decorative in nature (all support beams are hidden) but give a nod to traditional vigas. These decorative beams in the entry area are rough-sawn from Douglas fir.

I think some of us got nervous when we heard the word “contemporary.” But I think that the term as it relates to HGTV Dream Home 2010 means old-world adobe charm matched with modern-day comforts. Bring on the hot cocoa.

Your Super Fan,
Gail

Super Fan has some fascinating tidbits to reveal, plus a special reminder about the giveaway (it’s right around the corner – kind of).