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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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DON'T MISS!

I've written hundreds and hundreds of posts over the years. To help you find your way to the best of the best, I've tagged my favorites "Don't Miss!" Scroll down here to find them.

Another way to locate Riffs on Life that you might enjoy is to click above on your favorite category – "My Ever-Changing Family," perhaps, or "Funny Button." You can also use the search box located way up top to hunt for stories by topic. There's fun reading at "garden," "aging," "kids" and, of course, "Jon."

My New Year’s Resolution — Do Less. Not More. Subtract!

January 14, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 10 Comments

rock-path-garden

Now that I’m widowed, my to-do lists are twice as long as they used to be. So I’m turning tradition on its head and making my New Year’s resolution — do less!  Read more.

Widowed: Caught in the Time Warp of Grief

January 7, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 4 Comments

giants-cap-thriller-fest-cap putting me in a time warp

May Your Days Be Merry!

December 24, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 8 Comments

may-your-days-be-merry

On my Christmas card this year, “May your days be merry,” is code for — may your days be filled with hope and faith.  Read more.

Widowed: I Got Caught in the Act of Crying for My Husband

December 17, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 8 Comments

empty-home-office

I came home to what I thought was an empty house but, widowed, I got caught in the act of crying for my husband. Noisily.  Read more.

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

December 10, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 10 Comments

a-widows-christmas-card

My first widow’s Christmas card — my husband isn’t here to compose the poem and photoshop the card. How do I pull it off without him?  Read more.

Betty Rollin on How to Talk to a Widow

December 3, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 10 Comments

Betty Rollin on what to say to a widow. I say ask her about her new rock-garden-path

Betty Rollin on how to talk to a widow: Betty says don’t assume she’s over it just because a year has gone by. I say, ask me about my garden. Read more.

An Urban Oasis: Keeping It Wild — And Fire Resistant

November 26, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 5 Comments

trimming-tree-urban-oasis

Beaconsfield Canyon was blighted with trash and invasive species — until its human neighbors took it upon themselves to restore their wild urban oasis.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Why Can’t a Dad Be More Like a Mom? . . . Do We Really Want Them To Be?

Men and housework and childcare. A man carries his affectionate toddler girl. Photo by Barbara Newhall

My friend Carol calls them “the little inequities.” She is talking about the small, countless ways that men fail to notice what needs to be done for their children. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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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!

Two teenager girls in Bermuda shorts, 1950s. Photo by DG Falconer

A Case of the Human Condition: A Half Century Later I’m Still a Size 10 . . . OK, 12

Red, red berries in a garden in autumn in the upper midwest. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Autumn in the Garden, When Sensible Plants Pack It In for the Winter . . . And a Healing Ankle

wedding-shower-gifts

Widowed: Advice From Beyond the Grave — Party On!

The mother of the bride contemplates the figure flaws she'll be showing off at her daughter's wedding. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Six Ways to Look Dreadful at Your Daughter’s Wedding — A Mother-of-the-Bride Moment

MORE DON'T MISS!

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