Sierra Mountain Times

Located in Richards Ranch on a ridge high above the Tuolumne River, the beautiful home of Doris and Bob Coane is one of the four homes featured on the AAUW Home Tour.

By Thomas Atkins

Each year, members of the Sonora Branch of the American Association of University Women have the privilege of awarding scholarships to local high school and community college graduates. These scholarships are made possible by the branch’s annual December Home Tour, which is scheduled to take place next Saturday, December 6th.

“The home tour is always held on the first Saturday in December, and this will be the 42nd year our branch has put it on,” said Mary Gjerde, a former president and a member of the branch for about 28 years. “The reason they started it and the reason we still do it today is so we can raise money to give scholarships to local graduates. At first it was really tiny and it started with just $100 scholarships – but that was all we could get together. Now it has grown to where scholarships are around $2,000. It’s wonderful.”

This past year the Home Tour was so successful, the Sonora Branch was able to award sizeable scholarships to Sonora High graduate Ali Chabot, Summerville High graduate Tawny Porter, and two Columbia College graduates, Katie Smith and Suzannah Mae Frantz.

“Last year we gave four big scholarships,” said Mary. “It varies with how much we make of course. Although we are concerned with the economy, we have been selling tickets and we think it is going to be a good turnout.”

Those attending this year’s tour will have the pleasure of visiting four beautifully decorated homes around Tuolumne County, as well as partaking in a tea party which will be hosted at the Union Hill Inn in Columbia, which is included in the $20 ticket price. Branch members are hoping the community will support their efforts as it has in the past in order that their scholarship awards may continue. In addition to the high school and community college scholarships, in more recent years, Sonora Branch has also taken on the sponsorship of “Teck Trek,” a science camp for seventh grade girls held at universities throughout the state.

“Whoever buys a ticket is supporting our scholarship fund and they get to visit some of the counties most beautiful homes,” said Mary. “Each participant will receive a map with the addresses of where the homes are and they can go in any order they want and stop by for tea at the inn at any time between noon and 4 p.m.”

Members of the branch, which was started in 1961, have been hard at work selling tickets and preparing for the tour.

“All the members are obligated to help,” said Mary. “We are obligated to spend two hours that day helping in one way or another, so there will always be several members hosting at the homes and helping at the inn. The inn will have a raffle gift basket, boutique, and plenty of sandwiches and coffee…and cookies. We each make four dozen cookies for the tea.”

With approximately 100 members from all over Tuolumne County, one will be sure to get their fill of cookies while taking a break from the house tour.

“What we do is get different members of the community to open their homes for us and they get them all decorated for Christmas,” said Mary. “In fact, a lot of them, because they get their houses decorated earlier than normal will say afterward, “I am really glad I did this because now my house is all ready to go and I can relax.’”

This year’s homes are varied in interest and decor and will definitely make taking the tour a special way to begin the Holiday Season. Three of the homes are on the outskirts of Tuolumne in the Richards Ranch area and one home is near Columbia.

“I have only seen the Chaffee home in the Richards Ranch area, and it is absolutely gorgeous,” said Mary. “Everything is absolutely stunning in that house and their view is spectacular. And from what I’ve read of the other two…they have beautiful views as well. A master gardener owns the Columbia house and a lot of work has been put into it. It is really worth visiting these places.”

For those interested in participating in the tour, tickets may be obtained by sending a $20 check to Sonora Branch AAUW, P. O. Box 1266, Twain Harte, CA 95383, or by calling 588-9453 or 536-9636.The tour begins at noon and may be taken in any order as indicated in the brochure/ticket which includes a map locating all of the homes and the tea.
Below is a brief description of the featured homes.

The Julie and Scot Chaffee Home: Hawk Canyon Ranch, is the name given to the home high above the Tuolumne River Canyon in honor of the resident raptors. Driving up the road past a picturesque pond, the large, country style home comes into view. A porch surrounds the house and leads onto a lawn and the location of the swimming pool. Inside, one finds kitchen with granite countertops and beautiful cabinets of knotty alder, which also covers the refrigerator door. The wood in the house is unique. Beside the cabinets, the ceiling is blue pine and the floor hickory, which is covered with rag rugs in keeping with the country theme. The large living room shows you a pleasing blending of antiques with contemporary furniture and a rock wall backs a hearth containing a wood burning stove, which is used to heat the entire house. The skylight in the ceiling gives the room an airy feeling. The master bedroom is done in tones of violet, moss and beige. Of special interest is the magnificent walk-in closet, which will be the envy of every woman on the home tour. Outside at the back of the house is an eating area with a complete outdoor kitchen. The porch extends to all sides of the house, the charming rock pillars supporting the rail give it just the right touch, but the true bonus is the magnificent view of canyon, river, and oak-covered hillside.

The Julie and Scot Chaffee Home

Rancho Torales: This name is inscribed on the gate at the entrance of the Spanish style home.  Olive trees and lavender shrubs surround the road, and the owners bottle the products of both as oil to be sold in a growing number of markets. Walking through the front door of the home one enters a spacious great room furnished in shades of rust, moss green and sand which goes from the picturesque corner fireplace with its pomegranate swag to the comfortable sofas and chairs facing it, past a baby grand piano and ending with a dining table and chairs at the far end. French doors are situated across the whole front of the room allowing access to the terrace with its groupings of outdoor dining settings and chairs. These doors face a wonderful view of the valley of the Tuolumne River and surrounding hills. The spacious kitchen has some unique features, which give it a style of its own. There are no curtains on the window as is true throughout the house, thus emphasizing the view. There are no doors on the cabinets and colorful pottery on the shelves fit into the Mexican theme perfectly. Walking through the office/laundry with its open pantry you leave the main house and cross a lawn to enter the original building, which is now a guesthouse. The owner calls her home “Mexican Frontier” and this is born out in several paintings she has done of cowboys hung throughout the house. As a special treat the tour will include this talented lady’s light filled studio.

Rancho Torales

The Doris and Bob Coane Home: Traversing the decorative slate-lined walks to the front door of this large stucco, tile-roofed home, you are in for a surprise. The entry to this home is awesome. Of note is a whimsical hand carved carrousel camel standing to the left. Walking forward you are enveloped in light and space. It will take your breath away. This home, completely designed by the owner, has no interior doors or walls. The result is truly remarkable. Starting at the kitchen around a corner to the left, you will be impressed by the beauty of the plain wood cabinets.  In a corner sits a breakfast table and chairs where the owners can watch the sunrise over a cup of coffee. Groupings of matching sofas face the bowed floor-to-ceiling windows, which cover the entire front of the house and look down on the Tuolumne River Canyon. Of interest here is a huge drum, which serves as a coffee table. The master bedroom is also open, but has large, sliding doors if privacy is desired. A set of stairs leads up to the guest suite. The guest room itself contains two beds with ornate silver headboards, but the true surprise is the view out of the windows on both sides of the room. One looks directly down on Lake Don Pedro; the other frames a beautiful oak dotted valley scene. Outside on the terrace while enjoying the magnificent view, you see dining areas, even a cozy setting in front of a fireplace, which can be used in the winter. The owners have utilized a large rocky area to create a lovely water feature with a pergola from which the wonderful sunsets can be viewed. This delightful home inside and out was created with an obvious love for the incomparable setting.

The Marlys and Jay Bell Home:  Another of the homes is a rambling Tudor home covering a hill overlooking Columbia. Upon walking to the front door you are surprised by the sweeping front lawn surrounded by a beautifully landscaped all-year garden. The artistic effect is explained when you find out that the owner is a master gardener. The first surprise when entering the home is the zebra rug in the entry. This house was built in 1978 and extensively renovated by the current owners, but as pointed out, they kept some of the unique original features. The sunken living room to the left of the entry has walls of salvaged wood and a rock wall containing a fireplace facing the floor to ceiling windows. The rock came from the historic Bennett Ranch. Above the arch into the living room, carved into the lintel, are two cherub heads and the magnificent, original chandelier is a conversation piece. In contrast, at the far corner are large stone sculptures from Zimbabwe brought back from the owners’ travels. The warm and friendly kitchen features a brick crosspiece over the stove and the adjoining dining room looks out on the swimming pool. The hall leading to the bedrooms and an office is lined with paintings by the owner’s grandfather and magnificent nature photos done by the owner. The owners have published and illustrated a book on gardening. Exiting the main house through the exercise room, beside the pool and beyond you will see a series of wine barrels in which the owner has created water gardens. The entire property is a demonstration of living green. This eclectic home with its comfortable rooms providing a view from every window together with the beautiful surrounding gardens is truly a delight.

The Marlys and Jay Bell Home