Duane and Clare Ann's
Life in California 2002 -

2002 in pictures


The pear trees on our street are beautiful in the spring, which starts in February.

When we returned from Indonesia our first project was repairing the living and dining rooms which had suffered water damage.

New sheetrock and flooring did the job. It looks a lot different without the ceiling lying on the floor.

Andrew as he looks these days.

The family apple orchard at Cedarbrook has always been the place to find ladybugs.

Fifty years ago people would scoop gunny sacks full of these insects and take them back to the valley for aphid control.

The ladybugs would tumble out of the sack and immediately fly back to the mountains, so people quit trying to transplant them.

The spring party for faculty, staff and students of the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies.

Living on a tropical island for 2 1/2 years is poor preparation for backpacking in the Sierra Nevada.

We did make it to Twin Lakes, but without our packs.

The last two miles up to Twin Lakes was one long garden of wildflowers where water seeps down.

In August Clare Ann became pastor of Zion Congregational Church in Fresno.

Clare Ann in action on a Sunday morning.

We were at Yosemite Falls in April 1999 when we first spoke with MCC about doing a term of service. We finally made it back to find Yosemite Falls empty, something that happens in dry years at the end of the season.

Clare Ann's grandparents bought this organ for their daughters to play. Ashlynn likes to doodle on it, and can pump it if someone holds the bench.

There were just enough apples left at Cedarbrook for a pie when we stopped by after Thanksgiving.

So we made one.

Hamburgers and purple shirts. It doesn't get any better.

Ashlynn likes to clomp around in Clare Ann's shoes.

The trees that are pretty in the spring are also pretty in the fall.

These are all the trick or treaters we had this year. Ashlynn and her sister Autumn. The neighborhood has really changed.

When Clare Ann was growing up her family had a cabin at Bass Lake just below the flume. We went to check it out and have the obligatory hike on the flume.

The Metropolitan Museum has a special Christmas program for kids, which includes Santa Claus.

Ashlynn had two Christmas programs this year. One at Small World Preschool and this one at Mennonite Community Church.

The kitchen finally got its major remodel. The most noticeable change was eliminating the cabinet with range hood over the stove, opening the kitchen into the family room.

We removed the lowered ceiling with its big fluorescent fixture and put in floodlights in cans, as well as a ceiling fan.

The family room.

We planted everything in the yard in 1993. The tall evergreen trees are coast redwoods.

With the leaves off and the big tree by the front door gone, you can actually see the house. In summer it has been invisible.

Speaking of the leaves being off, that means a long process of getting rid of the leaves one big green canfull at a time.

One of the good things about California is being able to go to the snow instead of having it come to you. We happened to be eating in the restaurant at Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park when their first snowfall came. It was the first time Ashlynn had seen snow fall, and she chased the flakes trying to catch them on her tongue.

Ashlynn with our 2002 Christmas tree, a potted Norfolk Pine.

Clare Ann makes the dough, rolls and cuts the cookies (with Ashlynn's help) then Duane and Ashlynn do the decorating.

Duane's style is Bauhaus, but Ashlynn's tends toward the Victorian and involves lots of sprinkles.

We also made peppernuts. Duane rolls the snakes and Ashlynn does the cutting.

After presents comes trying to install the computer software. A tip for shoppers: bargain software does not have a Windows XP driver.

Duane giving a telephone blow-by-blow to Andrew via telephone as Ashlynn opens his presents.

Saying thank you to Daddy.

Clare Ann leading the candlelight Christmas Eve service at Zion Congregational Church.

Last modified May 27, 2003. visitors.
©2002 Duane Ruth-Heffelbower.
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