Barbara Strona
Barbara Strona is a native Californian who grew up in the Mid-West and Los Angeles. She and her architect husband, Carl, came to San Diego in 1968 and have lived in Mission Hills since early 1971. Barbara received a Bachelor of Arts from Scripps College with a major in English, and a minor in Art. She attended UCLA graduate school and received a General Secondary Credential. She taught English in Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, and at Point Loma High School. She has been a Realtor specializing in residential sales since 1984. Her passions include her job, reading, writing, foreign languages and foreign countries, animals (feathered or furry), theatre, and her family: husband, two adult children and two grandsons.
Barbara Strona's Latest Posts
My Cats and the Escape Artist
We have two cats, Lord Harry S. Plushbottom, an 18-pound ragdoll who goes by “Harry,” and a nine pound black cat, Cayman Last, known as Cayman. (My daughter’s last name is Last and should Cayman outlive us, he will become a member of the Last family.) Harry is gentle, slow moving, and is content with […]
Attracting Backyard Birds with Mike Matherly
At its first meeting in 2020, Mission Hills Garden Club was entertained and educated about what we could do to encourage birds to visit our yards. A long-time member of the Audubon Society, Mike Matherly is well versed about birds. As he took us through his slide show, he knew what species was singing in […]
Another Aspect of Aging: Lessons learned in My 80th Year
A year ago, I wrote an article about how much fun and how interesting it is to grow old. I still believe that, but I have learned that the veracity of that statement tempers as time goes on. My current belief is that as long as the body cooperates, the sky is the limit. Sadly, […]
Gardens Revitalized
In September the Garden Club presented Steven Harbour who treated us to some terrific ideas for coping with our water situation. Harbour has spent the past 35 years plus in one form or another of the nursery business. A friend bequeathed his “yard boy” customers to Harbour when he was only a kid. This was […]
Controversial Eucalyptus
In front of my property on the city’s land stands an enormous eucalyptus tree. It has been lauded by all and has been designated a community asset. It is truly beautiful with its lofty branches, its variegated colored bark, its leaves and pods. It shades our house, and it provides entertainment. Unkempt fledgling hawks and […]
Lament for a Computer
After 30-something years of using a computer for almost everything I write, I am now, with a horribly screwed up shoulder, trying to write on an iPad. I began my computer relationship with an Apple product, an SE. I was teaching Basic Skills at Mission Bay High School when the department chairman came into my office […]
Lions. Tigers, and Bears, Oh, My!
Jodie Cavenaugh organized one of our best field trips ever for the Mission Hills Garden Club. We visited Lions, Tigers, & Bears, a sanctuary in Alpine for rescued exotic and abused animals. We boarded a very nice bus in front of the nursery. Several of us brought grandchildren who were old enough to behave completely […]
Birds, Birds, and More Birds
Last March my grandson (Nic) and I went to the San Diego Bird Festival, an annual event put on by the Audubon Society at the Marina Village Conference Center. Nic and I attended three of the scheduled presentations. The first was a talk on the parrots of San Diego given by Brooke Durham. Our local […]
Setting Up and Maintaining a Native Garden (Part Two)
Last month I gave you a synopsis of Greg Rubin’s basic explanation of the ecology of a native garden. The remainder of Rubin’s talk dealt with how to keep your garden looking healthy and vigorous all year. Rubin thinks 75 percent of your landscape should be ever green. Manzanita, Penstemon, as well as citrus and […]
Ecologically Speaking with Greg Rubin
Reluctantly I went to the Garden Club meeting since I’d heard the speaker before. Was I in for a pleasant surprise! I learned more in that meeting than I can possibly relay. However, I will point out the highlights. Greg Rubin, a former aerospace engineer, is an award-winning landscape contractor. In the past 23 years […]
