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
Urban Seed
If you were in Old Town until before the end of March, you might have looked across Juan Street just up from La Piñata. You would have seen several shops and a sign that said The Urban Seed. This was the site of the January Garden Club meeting. Here you found an eclectic mixture of […]
On Behalf of Succulents
Jeff Moore, author and succulent nurseryman who spoke to the San Diego Horticultural Society in January, gave a fascinating lecture and slide show about succulents. They are plants which retain moisture for long periods of time (as a good thing). Cacti and succulents fall into this category. Tillandsias (air plants), bromeliads, and even some orchids […]
Centerpieces Easily Assembled with Minimal Talent and Money
Since the Mission Hills Garden Club had a pot-luck work shop in lieu of the November meeting, the creations of the members are definitely worth a mention, especially since the way they were created is easy and fun. Members were instructed to bring something to decorate as well as a dish to share. The food […]
Water, Water, Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink
2014 is third year of drought; having Kelly Mooney from the San Diego County Water Authority speak to the Mission Hills Garden Club was a welcome event. After a brief overview of the agencies dealing with our water supply, statistics about water usage, Mooney had a host of suggestions and resources for us to utilize […]
Hidden in Plain Hidden Sight (Part 3)
Unless you take the time to stop and observe closely, you will miss thousands of mini soap operas taking place in the lives of every living creature. Meredith French, master gardener and long-time Mission Hills Garden Club supporter in every possible way, shared Francis Bacon’s words: “Even in the most beautiful landscape, in the trees, […]
Part 2 of Hidden in Plain Sight
During the Garden Club’s May meeting Master Gardener Meredith French covered a wealth of material regarding the insects of a healthy garden. Half of all living things are insects. There are over one million identified insect species, and scientists believe there may be as many as 20 million species that have yet to be unidentified. […]
Hidden in Plain Sight
(Part 1) By Barb Strona Most people spend much of their leisure escaping into other’s worlds via TV, Internet, newspapers, or books. Meredith French, master gardener and long-time Mission Hills Garden Club supporter in every possible way, showed The Mission Hills Garden Club another source of love and lust, family relationships, and murder and intrigue. […]
The Art of Propagating Plants
By Barb Strona While I am no gardener and don’t have a great deal of success with my garden, I love flowers. In March I attended a workshop on propagation which really caught my fancy. Liz Youngflesh, owner of Vista’s Garden Glories Nursery, propagates the plants she sells. Youngflesh demonstrated various methods of propagating plants. […]
