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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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  • MY ROCKY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
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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."

Hanging Pictures: Too Much Art. Not Enough Wall Space. Sheltering at Home Week 24

August 27, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

hanging pictures how-to-hang-pictures

Hanging pictures: we spent an entire Sunday on the project, pulling everything out of storage and propping it up all over the house. Read more.

Quarantine Hair: I’ve Got Curls All Over My Head. How Did That Happen? Sheltering at Home Week 22

August 15, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I've-got-curls Barbara-falconer-newhall-with-fluffy-hair-2

Out of the blue, my hair has begun sprouting Shirley Temple ringlets. I’ve got curls, adorable curls. What the heck? I didn’t know my hair could curl.  Read more.

We’re Putting Our Shabby Old Patio Out of Its Misery — At Last. Sheltering at Home Week 22

August 11, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

shabby-old-patio

Our shabby old patio was a mess when we first laid eyes on it forty-two years ago. Today, it’s still not a pretty sight. Time for a redo.  Read more.

Why Do ‘Those People’ Make Me So Mad? A Philosopher Sheds Some Light. Sheltering at Home Week 20

July 29, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Stars and Stripes. In a message to those people, a man hangs the American flag on the front of his house. Photo by Barbara Newhall

When we address “those people,” do we really want to be heard? Or do we just want to get mad, feel righteous and force our desired outcomes on those “other” people? Read more.

World Hunger — Is It Up to Me to Fix It? Sheltering at Home Week 20

July 27, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

world hunger and food-abundance

The bare dirt spot in my garden is taking up more real estate in my brain than world hunger, homelessness and disruption. Read more.

I Finally Got to Go Shopping. Here’s How That Worked Out. Sheltering at Home Week 19

July 25, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

near-empty-store-shelf

After months of sheltering at home, I got in my car to do some actual brick-and-mortar shopping. A favorite retailer had other plans for me. Read more.

This Summer I’d Like to Travel to the Ends of — My Back Yard. Sheltering at Home Week 16

July 3, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

steep-garden-steps leading to my back yard

With COVID-19 cases spiking, it seems riskier than ever to travel. My back yard beckons — but our rickety garden stairs pose risks of their own. Read more.

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ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Grandparenting Via Webcam — Helping Out Those Frazzled Parents. Sheltering a Home Week 13

babysitting-via-webcam

Babysitting via webcam: The grandchildren are sheltering at home with their frazzled mom and dad. Can grandparents give parents a break from afar? 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!

Did my long-lost dead ancestors live in old frame houses like these on Minneapolis's Seventh Street South? Photo by Barbara Newhall

My Long-Lost Dead Ancestors — I Found Them in a Parking Lot

to-do-list

Widowed: The Meaning of Life? It’s on My To-Do List

The cover of Barbara Falconer Newhall's 2015 interfaith religion book "Wrestling with God: Stories of Doubt and Faith" shows two red chairs opposing one another. Design by Michelle Lenger.

It’s Launch Day for “Wrestling with God” and I’m Hoping You’ll Buy a Copy . . . or Two or Three

grandmother-skypes

Grandparenting Via Webcam — Helping Out Those Frazzled Parents. Sheltering a Home Week 13

MORE DON'T MISS!

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