Tag: Barb Strona
Connor Leone: How ECOLIFE Uses the Science of Aquaponics
We know our planet has serious problems with climate change, habitat loss, species extinction, the inefficiency of global food systems that casts doubt on our ability to feed a growing world population, and challenges with obtaining enough water to meet the planet’s needs. Based in Escondido, ECOLIFE Conservation is a non-profit organization with a mission […]
Adam Graves: Some History on Balboa Park and its Trees. Part 1
In February, Adam Graves, director of the Horticulture Department of the San Diego Zoo and previous manager of the browse program and of the zoo’s team of arborists over the past five years, was our featured speaker. Graves received his B.S. in Biology at UCSD and his master’s at Miami University. He also volunteered at […]
Horticultural History: Kate Sessions’ Lost and Found Gardens of Balboa Park
This winter Nancy Carol Carter, club historian, spoke about three of Kate Sessions’ Gardens while giving us a healthy dose of Balboa Park’s history. The three gardens Kate authored for the Park are the Aloe and Agave Garden, the Cactus Garden and the San Jose Hester Palm Garden (or “grove,” Nancy says, “is more accurate.”) […]
Missing the Seasons and Especially Peonies
Although I have lived in California almost 70 of my 80 years, I am a native Californian and have been a San Diego homeowner since March of 1968. Nevertheless, from 1942 until 1953 I lived in the Midwest: Ohio and Michigan where it may snow as early as late October; I do remember snowstorms in […]
Bill Toone and the Monarch Butterfly
Bill Toone spoke via Zoom to the Garden Club in November. While earning a master’s degree in biology from University of California, Toone began studying the California condors. He was hired by Zoological Society of San Diego and became part of the federally mandated California Condor Recovery Team. His attention was diverted to butterflies when […]
Autumn Chores
Spring is not the only time for cleaning; for my family, autumn is more important to take stock. We face fire danger, some flood danger, and maintenance is really important before the appearance of fire or rainy seasons appear. Much of San Diego’s beauty is due to the lush canyons throughout many of its neighborhoods. […]
Looking on the Bright Side
Because of COVID-19, the Mission Hills Garden Club will not be meeting until further notice. I shall continue writing about whatever strikes my fancy or seems reasonable, as always. Today I want to talk about opportunities self-quarantine is giving us. We have heard about what to do to slow the course of the corona virus. […]
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 […]
