My mother is gone, but when she died, she left a few things behind — a battered old purse, a small sofa she liked to call the loveseat. Read more.
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."
Purple Bearded Irises — Close Up and (Very) Personal
[caption id="attachment_28388" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
An iris blossom close up. Purple. Photo by Barbara Newhall[/caption]
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
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.
I’m a Meat-Eating Loser – I Didn’t Win the New York Times Ethicist Contest
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.
In My Rain-Battered Garden — Nothing Is Forever, Not Even Those Poppies
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.
It’s Spring in Our Brilliant, Bursting, Buzzing Front Yard
I live in California where spring peaks in March. And by last week the little patch of hillside that is our front yard was alive with color. Read more.
A (Lengthy) Case of the Human Condition: Married 35 Years
Jon Newhall and I have been married for 35 years today. Two kids, one house and lots of rewarding jobs later, we seem to be in it for the long haul. Read more.