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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: We Buried My Husband Last Week

September 25, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

we-buried-my-husband

I worried that I would let Jon down. I worried that this last thing I could do for him would fall short and I would fail him.  Read more.

How to Grieve — A Message From My Mother-in-Law

September 11, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

how to grieve 1940s-children

How to grieve? I don’t know. I’m not ready to give up being broken-hearted, outraged, horrified at the sudden death of my husband.  Read more.

Two Big Things to Do Before You Die (Your Dear Ones Will Thank You)

September 4, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

things to do before you die 1951-birthday-party

As I see it, there are two big, big things to do before you die. Take photos of yourself, lots of them. And write your own obituary. Read more.

Widowed: Dancing Makes Me Cry.

August 28, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

dancing makes me cry outdoor-dancing-studio

Dancing makes me cry. When I joined a Zumba class the other day, I stayed at the back of the class, because I knew there would be tears.  Read more.

Yay! Our Garden Remodel Is Done. Come Take a Walk

August 7, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

garden remodel with atlas-brick-stairs

Our garden remodel is done at last. Three plus flights of stairs take you from the canyon below our house to the street above. Come climb the stairs with me. Read more.

Fixing Up That Homely Old Side Yard — At Last

July 31, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

dilapidated-side-yard

It’s happening. Our funky side yard with its treacherous stairs and shabby retaining walls is getting a new look. Read more.

Do We Live in a Pointless Universe? I Need to Know

July 29, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

no-lifeguard-on-duty

The more comprehensible the universe seems, the more it seems a pointless universe, said Nobel laureate physicist, Steven Weinberg. Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

The Perfect Christmas Tree — I Finally Found It

Rows of perfectly shaped christmas tree on a tree farm. Creative commons photo

At the Christmas tree lot, the kids played hide ’n’ seek amid the trees, leaving me to find the perfect Christmas tree. The responsibility weighed heavy. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
  • On Writing & Reading
  • My Rocky Spiritual Journey

 
Need some levity? Push my Funny Button!

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

Widowed: The Things My Husband Wanted. (Or, We Are What We Want)

Barbara Falconer Newhall at her home office desk

At 78, I Still Have a Lot of Living to Do — Do the Deciders Care? Sheltering at Home Week 8

"Garden Party," by Amy Roman Vassar, San Francisco. A floral commen on Frank Stella's "Lettre sur les aveuglesII, 1974. At the de Young Museum Bouquets to Art 2017. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Bouquets to Art 2017 — Seduced by Those Quirky, Charming Boxed Bouquets

Elderly woman with mono. Author and blogger Barbara Falconer Newhall succumbs to mono and curls up with an alpaca blanket for comfort. Photo by Jon Newhall

Mono — It’s Never Too Late to Come Down With the Cool Kids’ Kissing Disease

MORE DON'T MISS!

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