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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
  • WIDOWED
  • FUNNY BUTTON

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."

Widowed: Yes, It Does Get Easier, Sad to Say

September 2, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

widowed-yes-it-gets-easier-sad-to-say jon-newhall-1997

Does life ever get easier for the widowed? Yes, it does, sad to say. For some, the fading of that intense grief feels like yet another loss.  Read more.

I’m a Widow. Was This Guy Asking Me for a Date?

August 26, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

 I'm-a-widow-was-this-guy-asking-me-for-a-date winding-sidewalk

It was just a friendly chat with a stranger out walking his dog. But then I thought, “I’m a widow. Was this guy asking me for a date?”  Read more.

The Question of Flowers: Are They — Are We — Works of Art?

August 19, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

are-we-works-of-art westcountry-towering-inferno-lupine

Flowers, by their very nature, never seem troubled to me, or even ruffled. Area they — are we — works of art?  Read more.

Widowed: The Superman at My House

August 12, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

the superman at my house Actor-christopher-dennis-superman

The Superman we spotted on Hollywood Boulevard was gorgeous. But Jon, my husband, was the man for me. He was the Superman at my house.  Read more.

I Said Hello to My Deceased Husband — Finally

August 5, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I said hello to my deceased husband -- to a framed-photo-of-a-cook

I said hello to my deceased husband’s photo the other day — and for once I did not collapse into tears at the sight of his face.  Read more.

Barbie — Sex Object or Blank Slate?

July 29, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

barbie-sex-object-or-blank-slate an-8-year-old-girl-living-out-her-fantasies-as-a-swordswoman

Barbie: A sex object? Or a blank slate for girls to project their dreams on? Neither, if your daughter wants a doll who can fight dragons.  Read more.

Is It OK to Kill Stuff? Yes, If It’s a Mosquito or a Eucalyptus Tree

July 22, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

invasive-eucalyptus-in-california

Is it OK to kill stuff? I couldn’t kill the spider lurking in my shower. But I can kill invasive eucalyptus trees and dive-bombing mosquitoes.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Watching People Working With Their Hands — Why Am I So Fascinated? Sheltering in Place Week 25

concrete-being-poured working with their hands

In Bologna they call them umarells, men hanging around building sites, watching people working with their hands. I’m an umarell. Here’s why. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
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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!

Barbara Falaconer Newhall taking a gift from the family Christmas tree. Photo by Jon Newhall

The Perfect Christmas Tree — I Finally Found It

telephone-wires

The Lost Art of the Telephone Conversation — Here’s What Happened to It. Sheltering at Home Week 14

Dead flies caught on sticky fy paper. Photo by Barbara Newhall

With a Little Luck You’ll Live Long Enough to Breed Flies in Your Attic

Cover of the book "The Abundance" by Annie Dillard. Photo by Barbara Newhall

At the Feet of Annie Dillard, Memoirist, Essayist, Observer of the Real

MORE DON'T MISS!

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