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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
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Barbara Falconer Newhall

Purple Bearded Irises — Close Up and (Very) Personal

May 8, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 3 Comments

[caption id="attachment_28388" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Irises -- An iris blossom close up. Purple. Photo by Barbara Newhall An iris blossom close up. Purple. Photo by Barbara Newhall[/caption]

There’s a heck of a lot of erotica going on inside an iris blossom. Stamen. Pistel. Haft. Claws. And, of course, those fuzzy, caterpillar-like beards. Read more.

The Writing Room: My Flesh Is Weary — Too Much Book-Writing, Not Enough Yoga

May 6, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall Leave a Comment

The cluttered desk and computer of a busy writer. Photo by BF Newhall.

Can you guess who wrote this? “Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” Hint: The writer’s been dead for at least two millenniums. Read more.

Confessions of a Carnivore: Why Eating Meat is OK — Sorta

April 24, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 5 Comments

[caption id="attachment_8640" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Cattle feed lot extending acres. Photo by BF Newhall Cattle feed lot extending acres into the distance at Harris Ranch, CA. Photo by BF Newhall[/caption]

I don’t see a clear difference between slaughtering a pig and cutting down a seven-story tree. Between netting the wild salmon I eat for dinner and harvesting my breakfast oats. Faced with a choice between killing a pig and killing the tree in our backyard – I’d kill the pig. Read more.

I’m a Meat-Eating Loser – I Didn’t Win the New York Times Ethicist Contest

April 22, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall Leave a Comment

Artichokes stacked for sale at Whole Foods, Berkeley, CA. Photo by BF Newhall

I’m a meat-eating loser. I didn’t win the “Why It’s OK to Eat Meat” essay contest the New York Times Magazine put on a few weeks ago. But I’m OK with that. Read more.

A Makeover in the Works — We’re Updating My Website

April 9, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 2 Comments

A Makeover in the Works — We’re Updating My Website

To Finish My Book I Need a Muslim Woman With a Story to Tell

April 2, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 3 Comments

[caption id="attachment_10985" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Berkeley CA artist Salma-Arastu with her painting Expansion of the universe. Photo by BF Newhall Berkeley CA artist Salma-Arastu with her painting “Expansion of the Universe.” Photo by BF Newhall[/caption]

I still need to find myself a few more people to interview for my book. A nice, talky Muslim woman, for one. Read more.

In My Rain-Battered Garden — Nothing Is Forever, Not Even Those Poppies

March 31, 2012 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 4 Comments

I mucked around in the soil beneath this blue beauty, but I couldn't find the Annie's Annuals ID stick. Anybody know what it is? Photos by Barbara Falconer Newhall

St. Jerome kept a human skull on his desk to remind him of his mortality. We gardeners don’t need a skull . We’ve got stuff dying on us every day. Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

The Somethingists — They Don’t Believe in God, but They Do Believe in . . . Something

[caption id="attachment_1163" align="aligncenter" width="427"]The Helix Nebula. NASA Photo. The Helix Nebula. NASA Photo.[/caption]

Good news for those of us – count me in – who aren’t at all sure of what God is like. It’s called Somethingism. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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TO MY READERS

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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!

Drumroll! I’ve Just Written My 600th Blog Post.

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A Widow’s Christmas Card — Where’s Jon When I Need Him Most?

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