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Author: Barbara Falconer Newhall

Is Fluffy the New Black? Is Our Quarantine Hair Trying to Tell Us Something? Sheltering at Home Week 23

Rep.-Katie-Porter. is fluffy the new black?

Is fluffy the new black? Fluffy hair. Fluffy, loose-fitting clothes. Fluffy, loose-fitting life styles. Fluffy boundaries between home and work.  Read more.

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

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

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.

Petunias! A Shopping Success Story. Sheltering at Home Week 21

pink-petunia-blossoms

The plant nursery down the hill was open for business. Everybody wore masks. Carts were wiped down with bleach. And there were — petunias! Read more.

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

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

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

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.

I’ve Got a Pile of Antique Bricks in My Backyard. And They’re Headed for the Dump. Sheltering at Home Week 18

antique bricks in a brick-walk-and-terrace

The antique bricks in our garden staircase are pavers. They were made for the streets of San Francisco 100 years ago. Too bad the staircase is falling apart. Read more.

I’m Worried About the Hagia Sophia: A Push to Make It a Mosque Again

The Hagia Sophia -- Madonna with roundels, Muhammad & Allah. Photo by BF Newhall

I'm worried about the Hagia Sophia -- Madonna with roundels, Muhammad & Allah. Photo by BF Newhall

Turkey’s Erdogan wants to dismantle his country’s secular traditions. I’m worried about the Hagia Sophia — will he turn it back into a mosque? Read more.

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

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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