by MarianBeaman | Mar 18, 2015 | Coming of Age, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized
Where did you study? Was your desk a dining room or kitchen table? The couch? A separate room? Did you listen to music as you studied? Or did you tune out the noise of the household when you crammed for a test or wrote a report? Louise DeSalvo author of The Art of...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 11, 2015 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, Memory, Quotations, Uncategorized
Recently Grandpa Cliff and NaNa Marian took the Beaman boys to the Odditorium (not a misspelling!) of Ripley’s Believe It or Not in St. Augustine Florida. The Saturday excursion was billed as a Mystery Trip, so the boys didn’t know exactly where they were going, but...
by MarianBeaman | Feb 14, 2015 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, popular culture, Quotations, Uncategorized
Actor Tom Hanks in the movie Forrest Gump tries to strike up a conversation with a tired nurse seated beside him on a park bench. Holding a box of chocolates in his hand, Forrest offers her a treat, “My mother always said, “Life is like a box of...
by MarianBeaman | Jan 7, 2015 | book review, Coming of Age, Conflict, Education, Literature, Quilt, Uncategorized
Sue Monk Kidd, best known for her debut novel, The Secret Life of Bees, has published her third novel, the acclaimed The Invention of Wings (2014). My Review A full-page spread advertising Sue Monk Kidd’s latest work of historical fiction recently appeared in...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 19, 2014 | Coming of Age, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
In June Mother Longenecker and her daughters Marian and Janice created butter-shaking memories in a two-quart jar, making butter using three easy steps: Pour cream into 2-quart jar. Shake until you rattle and roll. Remove the congealed mass from the jar. Add a pinch...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 15, 2014 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Nostalgia, Recipes, Tips, Uncategorized
BAKE It’s cold outside, maybe even Polar-vortex cold, and Saturdays with Grandma or Aunt or Mom will be spent indoors. One cold day three of our grandkids warmed up the house, at least the kitchen, with cupcake baking. Yes, it’s fun to help mix up the...
