Katy Dickinson

WP668 Update and Garden Photos

We are making progress on several backyard projects, including WP668, our caboose. Yesterday, the San Jose building department gave permission for John to apply for a permit to build the stairs and attach the electrical to WP668. (Yes, it took weeks to get permission to apply for permission.) He goes to City Hall on Wednesday. Yesterday too, our contractor who will use that permit to build the caboose stairs finished his other project: putting stucco on our cabana. John designed and built the cabana in 2000 when we needed more space for the pool equipment and towels. It still holds towels and chemicals for the hot tub (since the pool was replaced with a caboose) plus other stuff that has no better storage location, like our scuba diving tanks, suits, and gear. It took years to find a contractor who was good enough with stucco to match the surface pattern of our 75-year-old Spanish Mission Revival stucco house and who was also willing to take on a tiny job like the cabana. The stucco is still drying but in a few weeks, we will paint the cabana to match the house.

Here are some current WP668 photos. Also, since WP668 lives in our garden, here are more plant photos:

WP668 caboose:

WP668 caboose:

My favorite rose, Chrystler Imperial:

Crown of thorns euphorbia:

Prickly pear cactus fruit:

Pricky pear cactus fruit, dracena:

Front porch succulent:

Blue Plumbago:

Barbara Karst bougainvillea vine:

Asperagus fern aloe, cactus:

Vanderbeck ball, Bomberger cat, aloe, cactus:

Blue rosemary growing over wall:

Echeveria Succulents and stones:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson

Posted at 10:13AM Sep 28, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  | 

My Favorite Monster Plants

My favorite plants are monstrous, strange, and spiky. The more alien the better. If they produce big lovely flowers, I make some allowances for also having plain leaves. My garden features a selection of large cactus, succulents, and other prickly things. Here are some of my best:

Cactus flowers:

Front porch pots:

Flowering yucca:

Chrysler Imperial Rose (hybrid tea):

Flowering dracena:

Succulents at night:

Front porch cactus:

Front porch cactus:

Front porch cactus:

Front porch crest cactus:

Front porch crest cactus:

Striped agave:

Striped agave:

Baby agave:

Images Copyright 2003-2007 by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher

Posted at 11:15PM Sep 24, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  |  Comments[2]

Caboose Restoration Update

We are still working with San Jose City Hall to get the building permit for the steps and electrical hook up for WP668, our backyard caboose. John has been to the Building Department 3 times in the last week, before and after work. John rebuilt the steel and wood of one caboose end landing to connect to the to-be-built regular-steps-with-handrail-and-balusters; he is also almost done rebuilding the second landing which will retain its original steel steps. We have the plans, we have the builder, we have the caboose painted, we have rebuilt the landing, we are now waiting for official approval to start.

Yesterday, we spent the evening getting WP668 ready for the possibility of rain. All of the paint and construction tools and supplies are under cover now. I have collected most of the bolt ends and rusted bits of original 1916 caboose replaced during restoration to give away as souvenirs when we have our caboose warming party. Yesterday, we also stopped by to talk with the welder who is going to rebuild WP668's bay window frame. He may be available next Saturday.

The happy news is that John talked with the Portola Railroad Museum (also known as the Western Pacific Railroad Museum) and they told him where they buy WP decals: the Borden Decal Co. Borden still makes the decals for the railroads. Here a small size reproduction of the WP logo we need:

Image Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson

Posted at 12:05PM Sep 20, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  | 

Sun's Heart Walk - Photos

Sun's CTO Greg Papadopoulos sponsored our participation in the American Heart Association - Silicon Valley Heart Walk 2007 event yesterday, 16 September, at De Anza in Cupertino, CA. We gave away 140 Sun Heart Walk t-shirts to Sun staff, family, and friends and raised about $9,000 in donations. (Pledges are still being met, so we don't have exact numbers yet.) Not bad for our first time! Best of all, it was a fun morning.

The Sun Heart Walkers who got up early enough to be in the 8 am group photo:

Go to the Sun's Company Page to make a donation. Here are photos of the day:

Welcome to Heart Walk 2007:

Ballon clown:

Sun sign at Heart Walk:

Balloon hats at Heart Walk 2007:

Sun's sponsor booth:

Sun's sponsor booth with customers:

Sun Heart Walkers:

Sun Heart Walkers:

Sun Heart Walkers:

Sun Heart Walkers:

Sun t-shirt as dress:

Littlest Sun Heart Walker:

Images Copyright 2007 by Sheri Kaneshiro, Yu-Yen Mo, Paula Patel, and John Plocher

Posted at 06:35PM Sep 17, 2007 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

Madeleine L'Engle dies at 88

I was sad to read that writer Madeleine L'Engle died this month. When I was a girl, I read L'Engle's classic A Wrinkle in Time at least a dozen times. The EpiscopalLife Online story from 7 September says she wrote more than 60 books and includes the quote:

"In times when we are not particularly suffering, we do not have enough time for God," she said. "We are too busy with other things. And then the intense suffering comes, and we can not be busy with other things. And then God comes into the equation. Help. And we should never be afraid of crying out, ‘Help!' I need all the help I can get."

When Meg from A Wrinkle in Time sets out to travel through time and space to save her little brother Charles, she became the first young heroine I could believe in.

Posted at 09:47AM Sep 13, 2007 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

In Memory of Phil Rosenzweig

Phil Rosenzweig was a teammate who was among the victims killed in the crash of American Airlines Flight 11 at the World Trade Center in New York City on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. One of Phil's several memorials at Sun campuses is near the Menlo Park building where I work. On September 11th each year, Phil's black bench under a willow tree bears flowers (and sometimes his favorite cookies). Here is the flag at half mast for Phil in front of Sun's Santa Clara clock tower building today:

We miss you, Phil.

Image Copyright 2007 by John Plocher

Posted at 12:14AM Sep 13, 2007 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

Heart Health and Lincoln

Dr. Cesar Molina, Medical Director of the South Asian Heart Center of El Camino Hospital, came to Sun's Menlo Park campus today to talk about heart health. This is the second talk I set up as part of CTO Greg Papadopoulos' sponsorship of Silicon Valley Heart Walk 2007 by the American Heart Association. The Heart Walk will be held this Sunday morning, 16 September at De Anza in Cupertino. Go to the Sun's Company Page to sign up as a Sun Heart Walker or to make a donation to support one of our teams.

Dr. Molina's talk was fascinating and passionate and funny. He built his case for life changes (no smoking, regular exercise, eat more fruits and vegetables, achieve a healthy weight) from both detailed analysis of medical studies and from less conventional sources of wisdom. My favorite was this quote from President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865):

Do not worry; eat three square meals a day; say your prayers; be courteous to your creditors; keep your digestion good; exercise; go slow and easy. Maybe there are other things your special case requires to make you happy; but, my friend, these I reckon will give you a good lift.

Dr. Molina talked about many aspects of health with examples drawn from both the general American context but also from the culture and population of South Asians. I had asked the Heart Association to invite someone who could speak particularly to Sun's Engineering population, which includes many South Asians. Before today, I had not been aware that Coronary Artery Disease strikes South Asians at a four-fold rate compared to the general population. This holds true even for lifelong vegetarians who do not smoke and are not overweight. Even though I hosted the talk, I was surprised at how much I learned.

Posted at 11:48PM Sep 12, 2007 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

Rail Photography Day - Portola, CA

We have reached a place in the restoration of WP668, our backyard caboose, where more detailed historic information would help us make decisions. Also, we need patterns for the Western Pacific logo and other body markings. Fortunately, we live a mere 262 miles from the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California on the Feather River. Portola is north and slightly west of Lake Tahoe. Now would be a good time for a weekend trip: it is almost my birthday, too early for much snow on Donner Pass, and even better, a Rail Photography Day is scheduled at the museum on 29 September, 2007.

The museum will operate prototypical freight and passenger trains on our track for the benefit of photographers. This is a great opportunity to view and photograph many of the new items which the museum has acquired over the last few years. The museum roster currently includes over 40 locomotives and over 100 cabooses, freight and passenger cars.

John and I are trying to sort out our schedule to see if we can go!

Posted at 04:58PM Sep 11, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  |  Comments[1]

Lair of the Bear Camp Photos, EFF Tape

The Lair of the Golden Bear is the U.C. Berkeley family camp in the Sierras near the little town of Pinecrest. Below are some photos of the week we spent there last month. Our family has two tents at the Lair's 10th week: one for John and the kids and my mother (Eleanor) and me, and the other for my brother Peter and his wife Liz and their kids. The Lair has been thriving and growing since 1945 and many camp traditions have developed: the Blue Review (camp talent show), creek walking, Lair birthday cakes, making fun of Stanford, Disco Bingo, pictures with Oski the Camp Blue (and Cal) mascot...

My son Paul has been going with us to the Lair since he was about one year old. Since Paul's birthday is almost the same week as when we go camping, he always gets a chocolate Lair cake to celebrate. For all celebrations, the camp staffers sing the following song while smacking metal pans and bowls with big spoons:

We bring you a cake!

That our cooks have baked!

We hope you enjoy it, 'cause...

Lair cakes are great!

The day before going to the Lair, we had to ship off my daughter Jessica's 3 boxes to Carnegie Mellon since she was flying to college the day after we got back. Here Jessica is showing off the Electronic Frontier Foundation Fourth Amendment Shipping Tape in which she strapped her boxes. (She was an EFF summer intern two years ago.) The tape is printed with the following text from the U.S. Constition over and over:

Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
www.eff.org: protecting rights in the digital age

Here are the Lair photos:

Jessica and Paul at Grandma's:

Lair campers starting in San Francisco:

Why we have an SUV - 6 packed for camping:

Funny Bull and Pig BBQ Cookers beside road:

Camp Blue entry sign:

Lair Welcome Home sign:

Eleanor arriving in Camp Blue:

Camp Blue tent porch sign and our little Oski bear:

Board game in Camp Blue Lodge:

John reading in Lodge:

Camp Blue telephone booths:

Outdoor movie in Pinecrest:

Paul driving Eleanor's cart with hitchhikers:

Eleanor in her bunk bed:

Jessica and Matt watching movie on laptop in tent:

Matt auditioning for Blue Review:

Matt, Jessica, Lynda, Daniel, and Paul waiting to audition:

Jessica singing in Blue Review:

Blue Review: Stanford student bandana-banana skit:

Peter, Lynda, Daniel, and Liz at dining hall:

Eleanor at dining hall:

Paul's Lair birthday cake:

Jessica and her fish:

Peter escorting Eleanor:

Camp Blue creek:

Packing the truck to go home:

John and Katy - last pictures with Oski, in our Lair wear:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson, John Plocher, Jessica Dickinson Goodman

Posted at 11:30PM Sep 09, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  | 

Photos - Kayak Tour of Pinecrest Lake

The Lair of the Golden Bear is the U.C. Berkeley family camp in the Sierras near the little town of Pinecrest. Last month, during our week at the Lair, John and Jessica and Matt and Paul and I went on a tour of Pinecrest Lake by kayak. The reservoir water level was low but still over 115 feet deep (according to the marker lines on Strawberry Dam). There were many fishing boats, pontoon boats, sailboats, catamarans, and kayakers out that day. My camera was in a zip bag when not in use! Photos:

John in kayak:

Jessica and Matt in double kayak:

Paul in kayak:

Pinecrest Lake Strawberry Dam:

Pinecrest Lake Strawberry Dam:

Pinecrest Lake Strawberry Dam:

Jessica and Paul:

Pinecrest boulders in grass lake:

Pinecrest lakeside:

High water marks on granite cliff:

Paul in granite bowl:

Jessica and Matt in granite bowl:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher

Posted at 10:57AM Sep 08, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  | 

Photos - Hike to Sword Lake

The Lair of the Golden Bear is the U.C. Berkeley family camp in the Sierras. We have camped at the Lair every August for 14 years. This year, during our week at the Lair, John and Jessica and Matt and Paul and I went on a new hike: to Sword Lake. The Lair is at an elevation of about 5,500 feet. Sword Lake is probably at about 7,000 feet above sea level. It is an hour's drive by car out of camp toward the Dardanelles Cone near Sonora Pass in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness of the Stanislaus National Forest.

The trail is only about 3 miles to the lake but it is at high altitude, the day was hot, and the trail dusty. Swimming across the lake before lunch was a delight. We all used the rope swing to jump into the deep water. Despite having our wonderful CamelBak water backpack, John and I both suffered heat exhaustion on the trail back. We were the very slowest hikers but it was still a beautiful place to visit. Here are some photos from our hike:

Carson-Iceberg Wilderness trail head sign:

Lair hiking group briefing:

View of Sierras:

John on trail:

Scarlet Gilia wildflowers:

First view of Sword Lake:

Nearby Lost Lake and ferns:

Granite bordering Sword Lake:

Across Sword Lake:

Across Sword Lake:

Sword Lake wood trail sign:

Ice split granite boulder:

Ice scored granite hill side:

Indian paintbrush and asters - wildflowers:

View of old lava flow:

Huge granite split boulder:

View of old lava flow:

Thistles in bloom:

Split granite boulder:

Ripe spiny gooseberries:

Dardanelles Cone:

Heart Stone:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher

Posted at 11:15PM Sep 07, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  | 

Technology, the Industry, and Wellness: Why They Go Together

Sun's CTO Greg Papadopoulos is Sun's sponsor for this year's American Heart Association Silicon Valley Heart Walk. The fund raising and advocacy event will be:

• September 16, 2007
• De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, treat and defeat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. These diseases devastate millions of people of all ages and kill more than 910,000 Americans each year. To fight cardiovascular diseases, the association supports research, education and advocacy and helps heart disease and stroke patients.

6 September Talk by 2 CTOs: Tomorrow at 12:15 p.m., Greg and Symantec's CTO, Mark Bregman are speaking to Sun employees here at Sun's Menlo Park campus about "Technology, the Industry, and Wellness: Why They Go Together". Both Chief Technologists are executive sponsors of Silicon Valley Heart Walk 2007.

Sun's Heart Walk team has been putting up posters and sending out emails encouraging Sun staff to attend tomorrow's talk and also sign up to walk on 16 September. Please go to Sun's company page to sign up as a Heart Walker or team leader.

Posted at 05:20PM Sep 05, 2007 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

Yellow Trim on Caboose

We painted the yellow trim on WP668 last weekend. The handrails and grip bars at either end of our 1916 backyard caboose will be classic mustard yellow. Painting bright yellow over rust brown takes lots of blue masking tape and several coats but the results are worthwhile. We will paint at least one more yellow coat on each end next weekend.

We found that we have one original 14" diameter brake wheel and one similar but not original-to-that-purpose 15-1/2" wheel on the other end. It is not likely that we will ever find an exact original match, so John is going to rework what we have. Both wheels came with WP668.

WP668 before yellow trim:

WP668 yellow trim paint:

WP668 yellow trim paint:

WP668 unpainted wheel top:

WP668 unpainted wheel reverse:

WP668 original wheel top:

WP668 original wheel reverse:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson

Posted at 10:57PM Sep 04, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  | 

Skype and Choir at CMU

Jessica has been away at college for over two weeks. Last week were her first classes. Also, last week she auditioned for and was accepted as an Alto in the CMU classical repertory chorus directed by Robert Page. You can read her delight at singing again in her First choir practice blog entry today.

We talked with Jessica by phone Sunday night and by Skype yesterday afternoon. My parents were fascinated when Jessica used Skype to gave them a live electronic tour of her Pittsburgh, PA dorm room by walking her laptop computer around. On our end, we held up Tino the cat to wave to her. He looked confused and purred, as always.

Besides Chorus, I think Jessica's favorite is her First Amendment Law class. She held her first dorm hall tea party despite CMU's water shortage. (A water main broke.) It is wonderful to hear about my daughter's adventures in her new big world and, of course, we are all immensely proud of her. But I would still rather listen to her tell us all about it in person.

Image Copyright 2006 by John Plocher

Posted at 08:51PM Sep 04, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  |