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Barbara Falconer Newhall

Veteran journalist Barbara Falconer Newhall riffs on life as she knows it.

  • A CASE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
  • MY EVER-CHANGING FAMILY
  • WRITING & READING
  • MY ROCKY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
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Barbara Falconer Newhall

The Lost Poems of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft — A Native Michigan Voice Rediscovered

September 19, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Pine and oak trees growing on a bluff along Lake Michigan. Photo by BF Newhall

In the process of moving their collection, the librarians at the Illinois State Historical Library came across some boxes of old documents. One of them contained a lost cache of writings by Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, a little known Ojibwe poet from Michigan. Read more.

Five Things I Like Best About My Kitchen

September 12, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

A stainless steel bar mounted over a ceramic cooktop holds a Tonala platter. Photo by BF Newhall

We remodeled our kitchen in 2000, and we made some design decisions that still make me happy. Read more.

Rugs, Afghans and Scarves — My Pentwater Cousin Weaves Them All

September 5, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

A white and cream wool shawl with long fringes handwoven by Mary Helen Blohm. Photo by BF Newhall

I wrote about my outdoorsy cousin Jeanie a couple of weeks ago. This week it’s my artsy cousin Mary Helen’s turn. She weaves gorgeous rugs from fabrics she gets at yard sales. Read more.

Photo Op: Pentwater, Michigan — A Small Town on a Big Lake

August 29, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

North Hancock Street, Pentwater, Michigan, with shops, flags and trees. Photo by BF Newhall

When I was a kid, Pentwater was not the place to be. The place to be was on the beach or in the woods with the wild critters. But now that I am thoroughly grown up, I’m preferring the charms of Pentwater village to the toads and grasshoppers of my 9-year-old self. Read more.

Los Angeles — The Good, the Bad and the Truly Ugly

August 15, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

ten lanes of bumper to bumper freeway traffic in los angeles. photo by bf newhall

Los Angeles is an awful place. It is 469 square miles of bumper to bumper traffic, sinus clogging air pollution, starless nights and unrelenting summer sun . . . Read more.

A Dune on Lake Michigan: We Couldn’t Climb Eagle Top — So We Paid Homage From Afar

August 8, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

one- lane road into the woods in michigan with white pine and oak trees. photo by bf newhall

I emailed my cousin Jeanie. Did she want to visit some of our childhood haunts, like Eagle Top? Read more.

It’s August, But It’s Not Too Soon to Wonder — Can Christmas Be Christmas Without the Kids?

August 1, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

a happy woman finds a gift for herself in the christmas tree. photo by jon newhall

Christmas has gotten to be a scheduling nightmare. Peter lives in Minnesota. Christina lives in Southern California. Jon and I live in Northern California. That puts 400 miles between us and our daughter and 2,000 miles between us and our son. Not exactly over the river and through the woods. Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Write Another Book? I Dunno . . .

The Bay Area Book Festival was held June 4 & 5, 2016 in Berkeley, California. Rob Bell signed copies of his "How to Be Here." He talked about -- write another book? Photo by Barbara Newhall

Write another book? I don’t mind the writing. What’s giving me pause is the grueling, humiliating work of promoting the darned thing once I’ve written it. Author Rob Bell had some advice. Read more.

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TO MY READERS

Please feel free to share links to my posts with one and all and to quote briefly from them in your own writing, remembering, of course, to attribute the quote to me and to provide a link back to this site.

My Oakland Tribune columns, btw, are reprinted by permission of the Trib. With the exception of review copies of books, I do not accept ads or freebies of any kind. Click on the "Contact" button if you have questions. Enjoy!

 

DON’T MISS!

jon-Newhall-at-Signal

He’s Not Bald After All. Thank You, Covid-19. Sheltering at Home Week 28

Displayed at the East Bay Heritage Quilters show "Voices in Cloth 2016" quilt show in Richmond, CA.. a detail of "Hopscotch," by Susan Fuller. Photo by Barbara Newhall.

East Bay Heritage Quilters — Quilts, Dazzling Quilts

Fireweed blossom appears purple in the shade on an island in Washington's San Juan Islands. Photo by Barbara Newhall

The Human Need to Name Things — While Standing in a Patch of Weeds

A Thanksgiving turkey, roasted brown and ready to carve. Photo by Barbara Newhall

I’m Thankful for Friends, Family, Pumpkin Pie and — It’s a Girl!

MORE DON'T MISS!

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