by MarianBeaman | Nov 16, 2016 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, popular culture, Quotations
Did you make construction paper turkeys and buckled hats in elementary school? I know I did. We elementary school-ers dug our scissors into orange, red, brown, yellow to create Thanksgiving art. And then we looked at pretty framed pictures that have become American...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 9, 2016 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Reflection
Did you know that touching zaps your immune system with positive energy? Similarly, your brain goes into party mode when you hear and/or play music – so say the researchers. In this cropped photo, my sister Jan’s hand touches her Aunt Ruthie’s, who in turn is feeling...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 2, 2016 | blog, Education, popular culture, Reflection
For years, my young son Joel thought I had an eye on the back of my head. Why? I told him so. See! To keep this mischief-making, dangerous pranking boy surviving beyond childhood, I kept alive the delusion of a third eye until he grew old enough to catch on to my...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 19, 2016 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Reflection
The Longeneckers think birthdays ending in 5 or 0 are special. At a Longenecker family gathering in Florida in 2003, we celebrated the birthday of my brother Mark, who turned the big 5-0. And also of my Aunt Ruthie who celebrated her 85th birthday at our house at the...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 12, 2016 | blog, Conflict, Literature, popular culture, Reflection
Outrageous. Unbelievable. True. These are the words author/researcher Ann Malaspina uses to describe the legal practice of denying women the right to vote in 1872. Even though women could own property, pay taxes, hold a job, and raise children they could not...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 5, 2016 | blog, Coming of Age, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Reflection, Uncategorized
Yesterday, Tuesday, October 4, my Aunt Ruthie celebrated her 98th birthday. Born in 1918, she is a towering figure in my life and, and along with Mother and Grandma Longenecker, my strongest mentor. And she has been mother/teacher to many. * * * See the determination...
