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Secrets of the Longenecker Draft Cards

Secrets of the Longenecker Draft Cards

by MarianBeaman | May 19, 2021 | blog, Conflict, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Uncategorized

Memorial Day is celebrated this month and I’m think of my forebears living through the World Wars . . . My Grandfather Henry Longenecker and my Father Ray Longenecker were Mennonites. Both registered for the draft during one of two world wars Grandfather Henry...
The Geography of a Journey: Confinement in a Travel Trailer

The Geography of a Journey: Confinement in a Travel Trailer

by MarianBeaman | May 12, 2021 | Award, blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Quotations, Travel

“Hel-lo!” I yelled at the woman I saw standing next to a Winnebago on the far side of the campground. Our Ford van and trailer were stuck. The tires whirred, throwing dirt everywhere, sinking deeper and deeper into Tennessee mud. “Can you please help us?”...
Longenecker Sisters Road Trip to the River

Longenecker Sisters Road Trip to the River

by MarianBeaman | May 5, 2021 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Travel, Uncategorized

For there is no friend like a sister / In calm or stormy weather; / To cheer one on the tedious way, / To fetch one if one goes astray, / To lift one if one totters down,/ To strengthen whilst one stands.   –– Christina Rossetti from “Goblin Market”    ...
Mother’s Day Memento

Mother’s Day Memento

by MarianBeaman | Apr 28, 2021 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, meditation, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized

At the initiation of Anna Jarvis President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation in 1914 declaring Mother’s Day an official holiday. Although It takes place on the second Sunday in May in the USA, Mother’s Day is also celebrated internationally on different...
My Work is Loving the World

My Work is Loving the World

by MarianBeaman | Apr 21, 2021 | blog, Conflict, meditation, neighborhood, Quotations, Uncategorized

Last week’s blog post honored the treasures of the land, with its power to heal, and its gifts of providing food, clothing, and shelter. The land grounds us, provides stability under our feet, nourishes our souls and feeds our bodies. However, work is often...
The Movie LAND and the Longenecker Acreage

The Movie LAND and the Longenecker Acreage

by MarianBeaman | Apr 14, 2021 | blog, book review, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized

In a super-sanitized theatre earlier this year, we viewed the movie LAND, the story of a lone women who seeks solace in nature to heal unbearable wounds     BLURB  (no spoilers!) From acclaimed actress Robin Wright comes her directorial debut LAND, the...
Between Heaven and Mirth: Where Fun is Always ON

Between Heaven and Mirth: Where Fun is Always ON

by MarianBeaman | Apr 7, 2021 | blog, book review, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Southern lady friends, Uncategorized

This past year has been like a treadmill trek with the degrees of incline jacked up higher every (day, week, month). The news generally has been grim. Have you felt a need for lightness and joy? I certainly have!     Goodreads Review: Between Heaven and...
7 Lessons Learned from the 2020-2021 Pandemic

7 Lessons Learned from the 2020-2021 Pandemic

by MarianBeaman | Mar 31, 2021 | blog, Education, Gratitude, meditation, Neighborhood / Environment, Tips, Uncategorized

7 Lessons Learned from the Coronavirus Pandemic     1. Family Matters More Than We Realized        Need I say more?   2. We have Unleashed a Revolution in Medicine “One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned from COVID is that the scientific...
The Irish Washerwoman and Grandma Fannie’s Soap

The Irish Washerwoman and Grandma Fannie’s Soap

by MarianBeaman | Mar 17, 2021 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, neighborhood, Recipes, Uncategorized

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Even if you’re not Irish, you may feel an impulse to wear GREEN today or maybe even sport a derby hat. Our family is mostly of German-Swiss ancestry, but once we lived in the Killarney Shores neighborhood of our city with streets named Emerald...
Wordless Wednesday: Old Tech, New Life

Wordless Wednesday: Old Tech, New Life

by MarianBeaman | Mar 10, 2021 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Uncategorized

    Can you identify with the era?   Do you have photos or other artifacts showing technology from the 1970s — or later?   Did you work outside the home during pregnancy?     Note: My computer will be in the repair shop for a short...
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