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 | 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 | Jul 23, 2025 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized
Today, July 23rd, is my mother’s birthday. If she were still alive, she’d be 107 years old now. Ruth Landis Metzler grew up in a Mennonite family on a farm near Manheim, Pennsylvania, the first daughter of Abram Hernley Metzler and Sadie Landis Metzler,...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 19, 2025 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
It’s sometimes easy to spot too much of a good thing! An Overeaters’ Tanka Fried chicken and pie Burger with bun, cookies too Huge slice choc’late cake Oh, you sure must wish to die Too much of a good thing—fie! ©MLB 2025 A Tanka is a...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 14, 2025 | blog, book review, Coming of Age, Education, Novel writing, Novel writing, Quotations
In Honor of Women’s History Month 2025 Belle da Costa Greene, courtesy of J. P. Morgan Exhibitions My Review In the lush world of literature and the arts, librarian Ms. Belle da Costa Greene rises along with the fortunes of New York financier and...
