John Plocher and I are in the process of fixing up our 90-year-old Spanish Mission style home in Willow Glen (San Jose, California). One of the duties of homeownership is maintenance, particularly fixing what does not show. We just completed Phase One of a maintenance project, including adding new French drains to redirect water away from the house, repairing some rocky tiles on the side porch, replacing a front porch post, adding better support for the ground floor so that the front door opens all the way, and replacing a walkway-with-a-step with a ramp. This work will not meet the realtors’ goal of “increasing the value of your home” for resale, but since this is our family’s forever home, it is enough that the work increases its comfort and value to us. We got virtual tours of the ongoing work under the house using FaceTime.
Some of maintenance challenges come from ours being an old (if well-built) house, and others from the land being part of the original Willow Glen swamp of the Guadalupe River. The ground shifts annually with seasonal moisture changes, causing stucco cracks and sometimes making doors stick. The most unhappy person with the construction has been Princess, our porch cat, who resented the disruption of her royal domain. Phase Two is being planned now!
Porch post with gap, July 2022Original side walkway, July 2022John Plocher raking weeds, July 2022Resetting porch tiles, July 2022Repaired side porch tiles, July 2022Cat judging front porch construction, July 2022Digging french drain trenches, July 2022French drain trench complete, July 2022French drain lining and rock, July 2022Completed french drains, July 2022Painting new porch post, July 2022Pouring new side ramp, July 2022Smoothing new ramp, July 2022New ramp walkway, July 2022FaceTime of work under house, July 2022End of walkway drying, July 2022Fixing front door, July 2022Princess the cat hiding, July 2022
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It’s time in the San Francisco Bay Area to start planting our summer vegetables. Since I have some time during GTU‘s Reading Week, I cleared out winter weeds, dug in compost, and added tomatoes, basil, and borage to my planting beds. I left the rhubarb in its wheelbarrow since it seems happy. This year, from Yamagami’s nursery I bought three cherry tomato plants for salads and snacks (Yellow Pear, Sun Sugar Hybrid, and Super Sweet 100), plus three Ace tomatoes for soup. I also upgraded the Guadalupe River bank area next to the planting bed. The big yuccas, huge prickly pear cactus, and an elderberry tree dominate that space. There are also three lavenders (French and English) and two California Sagebrush (Artemisia Californica – from Jessica) continuing from two years ago. I just added four gloriosus “Heart’s Desire” prostrate ceanothus to fill in under and around the cactus. Another ceanothus “Centennial” plus some yarrow (Achillea Little Moonshine, and Red Velvet) will go in the front yard. I mostly add California Native Plants for long-term plantings. I am looking forward to everything growing happily all summer!
Katy Dickinson garden, San Jose CA, 23 March 2022Katy Dickinson garden, San Jose CA, 24 March 2022Katy Dickinson garden, San Jose CA, 24 March 2022Katy Dickinson garden, San Jose CA, 23 March 2022Princess – cat garden guardian, 24 March 2022Ketchup – cat garden guardian, 24 March 2022
Update 24 March: I decided to go camping with Jessica and the TechWomen in Yosemite this weekend, so I planted the ceanothus Centennial in the side yard, supervised by guardian cats Princess and Ketchup. I am also moving some of garden stones into the side yard where they will be more visible.
Update 28 March: My neighbor Russell gave away some of his extra heirloom tomato starts today – so I added a seventh (and final!) plant to my bed. The little plants are enjoying today’s rain.
Ceanothus Centennial, Katy Dickinson garden, San Jose CA, 24 March 2022Marvel stripe heirloom tomato, 28 March 2022
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TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022
Today was TechWomen Volunteer Day and twenty-three of us gathered at St. Stephen’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church – Community Garden in San Jose, California, to work together. We divided into three groups: the Hunters (looking for oak seedlings to pot), the Killers (taking down an oleander hedge), and the Diggers (making an accessible path for elder gardeners). We included technical leaders from the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia, some of whom were novices and others who had deep gardening experience, as well as two regular community garden volunteers and four TechWomen mentors. My daughter, Jessica Dickinson Goodman, manages the community garden but she was managing another TechWomen volunteer group today, so I was in charge. It was a fun and productive day!
St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022Lizard, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022TechWomen Volunteer Day, St.Stephens-in-the-Fields, San Jose, California, 18 Mar 2022
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Jaguar and butterfly carving by Boruca Lourdes, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Hummingbird and butterfly rain forest carving by Markos Boruca, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Our family just returned from a lovely vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica where, among other discoveries, I learned about the indigenous artisans of Boruca. The Boruca folk art wood carvings remind me strongly of Mexican Alebrijes. Many years ago, I started a collection of Alebrijes when I was a member of the Board of the Mexican Museum in San Francisco. Alebrijes are fantastical folk sculptures often originating from Oaxaca. They are carved from copal wood and other materials, then painted. Many times it is the carver who signs the piece but the painting is often done by the whole family. Many people were introduced to Alebrijes as spirit guardians in the 2017 Disney movie Coco.
In the Boruca village, our indigenous guide told us that the carving wood is from the fast-growing balsa and designs are often inspired by traditional masks from the Danza de los Diablos ceremony. The annual ceremony celebrates the Costa Rican tribe fighting off the Spanish Conquistadores. Devils are a common theme in Boruca carvings but there are also images from nature, particularly jaguars (symbolizing male power and protection of the tribe) and butterflies (symbolizing female power and beauty). The bright blue Morpho butterfly is a favorite.
Jaguar masks, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Sea creature carvings by Elias Moia, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Alebrije crocodile by Margarito Melchor Fuentes, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrije Jaguar by Cornelio Ortega, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrije Rabbit by Antonio Carrillo, Arrazola, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrijes – Insect by Alpina, and Giraffe by Jesus Melchor, Oaxaca, Mexico
Insect Alebrijes by Tribus Mixes, Oaxaca, Mexico
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Rainbow from Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John and Paul and I just returned from a lovely, restful vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica. We had planned to be there for ten days but American Airlanes stranded us for two days in Dallas, Texas, on our way out (and then refused to communicate online or by phone, or reimburse for hotels or rides) so we had a shorter vacation. We got to see a remarkable number of Costa Rican plants and animals (here is my partial list), as well as visiting the indigenous artisans village of Boruca. John even got to explore what is left of two old trains from the Ferrocarril del Sur line in Golfito. The food at Cielo Lodge by Chef Cesar Chinchilla was excellent and we were very well cared for by owners Nicole and Keith Goldstein. Daniel Fonck, the staff naturalist, and manager and gardener Catalina Torres answered endless questions patiently.
This trip was to belatedly celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic. Even though Costa Rica is at the top level of Covid-19 danger (CDC Level 4 – Very High), we felt safe. The eco-lodge is isolated and when we were in public, most people wore masks indoors and washed hands before entering any building. Before going to the airport to return to the USA, we took BinaxNow Covid-19 home tests to be sure none of us had caught the disease during our travels.
On the way home, we were able to see something of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, escorted by local guide Guiselle Sibaja. Of special interest was the Mercado Municipal De Artesanias, where we found the shop of Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega who makes traditional indigenous pit-fired pre-columbian-style ceramics and stone carvings.
Click for Video: Spotted grey dolphins, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Welcome to Costa Rica, August 2021
Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul, Daniel, Nicole, John at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Catalina, Daniel, Paul, Nicole, Katy, John at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Cielo Lodge suite 1, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Outside shower, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Red eyed frogs, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Casados Dinner by Chef Cesar Chinchilla, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and Katy Dickinson, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Anoli lizard eating a beetle, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Poison dart frog by Daniel Fonck, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Squirrel Monkey, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Green tree opossum by John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Three toed sloth by Paul D Goodman, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and Daniel Fonck, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Crocodile and Butterfly by Paul D Goodman, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Spotted Grey Dolphins leaping, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village entry sign, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village masks, Costa Rica, August 2021
Katy Dickinson, Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Katy Dickinson, Paul D Goodman, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Ferrocarril del Sur railway Baldwin engine 81, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John with Ferrocarril del Sur railway Baldwin engine 81, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega, San Jose, Costa Rica, August 2021
Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega, San Jose, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Red eyed green frog, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Coati – eating at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Blunt headed tree snake, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right on Katysblog home). Images Copyright 2021 by Katy Dickinson, John Plocher, Paul D Goodman, and Daniel Fonck.
At the end of March 2021, we adopted Bailey from the San Jose Animal Shelter. She is a mostly Malinois (a type of Belgian Shepherd) who is just over a year old. That is, Bailey is a teenager in dog-years. She is smart and active and curious, so John is spending quite a bit of time socializing and training her. In the afternoons our two 10 year-old dogs (Redda and Gilroy) are happy to sleep in their kennel, away from her energetic puppy demands to play.
We have dogs not only as pets but also to warn us when there are trespassers on the Guadalupe River bank that is our back property line. Several times a week there are homeless or random people who think (despite the signs and fences) that our yard is some kind of public park. Some of these transient neighbors decide that our ladders, bikes, tools, or other stuff are just what they need. Our dogs earn their keep by making our yard less accessible to petty thieves and unwelcome sightseers.
Bailey is sweet and cuddly, loves to run fast, jump in her water trough, and try to drink from the hose. Gilroy is teaching her to play fetch but while she will take his ball, she does not want to give it back. On the advice of a dog trainer, we are nose training Bailey – that is, giving her the task of hunting for treats using only scent – to engage her mind. We have to enforce daily naps so Bailey does not get over-tired.
At the same time as managing the dogs, our 15 year-old cockatiel birds (Guapo and Sparky) have developed health issues. Guapo in particular has been falling off his perch. Our vet suggested that we raise the floor of their cage. We also added cotton pillowcases for padding to make his splats softer. Guapo’s tail feathers are already starting to grow back.
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Cercidium Floridum, Desert Palo Verde, Parkinsonia Florida, San Jose CA, June 2021
Now that I am done with Spring 2021 classes, I have been able to tend my garden. Our house in Willow Glen (San Jose, California) was built almost 100 years ago in the old bed of the Guadalupe River, so the soil is amazing. Yesterday, we planted a green-bark, yellow-flower Palo Verde tree (Desert Palo Verde – Cercidium floridum – Parkinsonia Florida), that should thrive in our increasingly-hot summers. The tomato garden I planted in March is starting to fruit, and the giant white bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), Pink Stripe Flax (Phormium), Matilija Poppies (Romneya), and four types of yarrow are blooming exuberantly. The oak tree named after my friend Seham Aljaafreh, who helped me plant it in 2014, has doubled in size this year.
Tomato bed, San Jose CA, June 2021
First tomatoes, San Jose CA, June 2021
First tomatoes, San Jose CA, June 2021
Strelitzia nicolai, giant white bird of paradise, San Jose CA, June 2021
Blooming phormium, San Jose CA, June 2021
Matilija Poppy, Romneya, San Jose CA, May 2021
Front garden bed, San Jose CA, June 2021
“Seham” Oak, San Jose CA, June 2021
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