The Baker Heritage Museum will kick off the 2009 season with a grand opening event Saturday, March 14.

The evening festivities will include hearty hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions and a performance by the Elks Drum and Bugle Corps.

The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the museum, 2480 Grove St. Tickets are $35 and available by calling the museum at 541-523-9308 or by mailing payment to the museum at 2480 Grove St., Baker City, OR 97814.

Dave Clemens plays his flutes throughout all stages of development. His shop is full of flutes of varying lengths and diameters. All his flutes have a different voice. (Baker City Herald/S. John Collins)

That’s his cue to sort through his flutes and find the perfect fit.

Then he holds out the instrument and gives a quick lesson: cover the six holes with your fingers and blow into the mouthpiece.

And he doesn’t even grimace when the resulting sound is more squeak than music.

A slight adjustment, and in a few minutes a sweet sound floats from the flute.

He smiles, then brings his own flute to his lips and plays a haunting song.

Across this space, in the lower level of Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, four other flute players play songs — from their memories, from their hearts, from their souls.

Ramon and Carolyn Lara are preserving jars and jars of apricots this summer because their backyard tree is loaded with the fruit. They try to keep at least a two-year supply of preserved fruit because some years don’t give a good yield. (Baker City Herald/S. John Collins)

“That’s the background we were from,” says Carolyn, 69, as she pits a bucket full of apricots picked from their own tree.

Beside her, Ramon, 70, keeps watch over the jars heating in the water bath.

Then they sit a spell to visit because this canning business takes time — 22 minutes of boiling, to be exact.