by MarianBeaman | Oct 14, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Sometimes something that comes in the mail triggers memories. In this case, it was a letter from long-time friend Hazel Charles’ “snail mail.” In late September I received a personal note from longtime friend, Hazel (Garber) Charles. Hazel, who was born close to...
by MarianBeaman | Sep 30, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Education, neighborhood, Neighborhood / Environment, popular culture, Uncategorized
Battle #1: Birds and Squirrels by Day A Look Back “There he goes!” From his studio window, Cliff observed a squirrel stealing birdseed from our new feeder. Again. I rushed outside into the lanai, and saw the squirrel scarfing down the...
by MarianBeaman | Sep 9, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Nostalgia, popular culture, Quotations, Tips, Uncategorized
Two Kingdoms, One Preferred “Illness is the night-side of life, a more onerous citizenship. Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick. Although we prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each...
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 | Aug 5, 2026 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, popular culture, Uncategorized
My first memory of a fancy wedding is drawn from the Zion Lutheran Church in Hummelstown, PA, a lovely edifice with stained glass windows, a pipe organ, and a bell tower. I was nine years old when I attended Mary and Howard Landis’ wedding there. ...
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 15, 2026 | blog, Literature, Novel writing, Novel writing, Recipes, Uncategorized
Author Rick Rubin, musician and record producer, looks a little like the biblical Moses. in this photo: woozled hair; long, straggly beard. Maybe so. But he is on a mission to convince readers that being creative is not a skill to be learned but a way of being in the...
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 | Jun 3, 2026 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Reflection, Romance, Travel, Uncategorized
Dazzling sights and sounds, succulent cuisine, ringing bells and Adriatic breezes. Those were my recollections from our cruise to the Mediterranean in April 2026. Now, in early June, I’m reflecting on our travel to eastern Europe from a different perspective,...
