Airbnb host is just one of the accomplishments held by Mona Oxford-Lyman. She is an incredible artist, she played volleyball for NNU and Pepperdine before coaching at a collegiate level, and she is now a retired art teacher from Middleton Middle School. She is stepping into a new entrepreneurial pursuit of hosting an Airbnb called Le Poule Roost. The gorgeous Airbnb is in a barn that Mona and her husband, Jack, built and renovated on the property they live on.
Every person that you walk by on a daily basis, the people you have known your entire life, all have an encyclopedia of personal life history residing in their hearts and minds. They hold experiences that have shaped him or her down to the motivations that drive daily activities.
Mona sat down with me in her Airbnb, Le Poule Roost, to talk about the inspiration behind it. The front portion of Le Poule Roost has a beautiful sitting area with cow-upholstered chairs and a fireplace. Around the fireplace are four large prints of cows. Seeing Mona sitting in front of the fireplace as she began to tell me a bit about her life story was as warming as the fire. There is a magic that exists in the sacred space of vulnerability when people talk about the memories that made them who they are.
During my interview, Mona shared with me that the land she currently lives on was once a portion of her grandparents' property. At just 1 year old, Mona, along with her three siblings, ventured to Idaho to live with their grandparents, who ran a dairy farm. She talked to me about participating in caring for the cows and the creative names she came up with for her 4H cows. To this day, her favorite animal is still a cow.
Mona's love for her grandparents was close to the surface, especially when speaking of her grandmother, who was a tender example of love. She often doted on the kids with home-cooked meals and food. Mona remembered being at the store and whenever they'd see something pretty, her grandmother would go over and they'd dissect what they saw before her grandmother would say, "We can make that."
Mona really wanted Le Poule Roost to be a tribute to her grandparents' way of life, which is where the farm-style aesthetic of the Airbnb derives from.
Interestingly enough, Mona had not intended for the space to become an Airbnb when it was designed. Initially, it was planned as a place for visiting family to stay.
With a spark of inspiration and support from Mona's husband, she decided to start the adventure of sharing Le Poule Roost with travelers looking for a place to nest while in the Treasure Valley area. Mona has loved her experience so far. She has fun finding creative ways to spoil guests the same way I imagine her grandmother doted on her. Mona's energy and passion for life are contagious. I couldn't help but absorb some of that and carry it away with me after our interview.
The space is a chic and inviting environment that anyone would enjoy visiting. The outdoor portion of Le Poule Roost is absolutely stunning! Mona expressed that she is open to letting things flow in an organic manner with her journey as an Airbnb host. The property is open for hosting weddings (with COVID-19 cautions in mind), and more plans are in the works for renovating other areas of the barn. Mona would like to host artisan workshops.
I want to challenge any of you reading this to call someone you love or who has influenced you in your life. Ask them about their life, where they come from, the experiences that have changed them. Ask them about the people they love and why they love them.
I am so grateful to have been able to learn more about Mona.
If you would like to listen to my full interview with Mona Oxford-Lyman, you can do so by heading to A FRESH PERSPECTIVE PODCAST. Just click on the image below to access the episode. To book your stay at Le Poule Roost, go to TheRoostExperience.com.