by MarianBeaman | Aug 19, 2026 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Memory
Fits and Starts: An Update on My Poetry Collection Progress You have not heard “Boo” from me about progress on my poetry collection since Valentine’s Day, 2026. Here’s the truth: There has been a lag: busy-ness, distraction, less energy,...
by MarianBeaman | Jul 29, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Nostalgia, Reflection, Uncategorized
My baby book tells the story of my life from birth to age 3. My mother, Ruth Metzler Longenecker, recorded the details of my early life in a cushiony pink volume with dimensions, 6 x 8 inches, popular in mid-century America. Although the pages allowed for more, Mother...
by MarianBeaman | Jul 1, 2026 | blog, book review, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Memory, Novel writing, Reflection, Uncategorized
“I don’t drink coffee,” Alex said. “Then who drinks coffee at your house?” I replied, eying the coffee-themed plaques on her kitchen wall. Her quick answer, “Oh, Andy does, and I liked organizing the coffee display on my...
by MarianBeaman | Jun 17, 2026 | Award, blog, book review, Coming of Age, Education, Lists, Literature, Novel writing, Novel writing, Quotations, Tips, Uncategorized
My book reviews are getting shorter and shorter. Why is that? you ask. One reason could be this—-I review every book I read. I think ir’s a good idea to condense my reviews. I hope it’s good for you too, dear reader. Here are a few book...
by MarianBeaman | May 6, 2026 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite Lore, Travel, Uncategorized
Do you dream? Not just at night, but do you sometimes zone out in a pleasant way during the day? As Robert Olen Butler suggests in his book, From Where Your Dream, there is power in dreaming to create art.” Why? “Only the unconscious can fit together the stuff...
