by MarianBeaman | Sep 13, 2017 | blog, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, neighborhood, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
“Janice, hurry up. This is a catastrophe!” My scream pierced the early morning air. I had bounded up the stairs shortly after 7:00 a.m. to check the bedrooms before the Ruth Longenecker property sale. Prospective buyers were already milling through our aunt’s house...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 30, 2016 | blog, Conflict, Education, Literature, Quotations
Bright lights overhead illuminate a fun space. My eyes take in shelves with animal puzzles, bins with textured balls, sets of play tools, baskets of plastic fruit and veggies with pans for the play stove in our classroom. On my right – xylophones, bells and colored...
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 | Jun 8, 2016 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Memory, Mennonite History, Nostalgia, Reflection, Uncategorized
“Listen to this” I said to Cliff as I began reading the page on sorting papers: “Rule of Thumb – Discard Everything. ” As I continued reading the chapter on sorting papers in Marie Kondo’s New York Times best seller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I saw my...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 2, 2016 | blog, Conflict, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, meditation, Memory, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized
“Joel, I’m going to the Christian Light Press in E-Town for some birthday cards, do you want to go along?” “Okay, Mommy, do you think they have lollipops?” queried my mischievous son. “I don’t think bookstores have lollipops at the counter like doctor’s offices do,...
by MarianBeaman | Feb 24, 2016 | blog, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Neighborhood / Environment, Nostalgia, Quotations, Tips, Uncategorized
I didn’t hear a Bang. I didn’t see the pot Fall. But when I looked from the upstairs bedroom window, I saw shiny red chards of pottery on the patio floor. I really liked that red pot and now it was in pieces. How did that happen? There was no wind. I was not aware...