by MarianBeaman | Nov 16, 2013 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Reflection, Uncategorized
My mother and I are waiting in Doctor Garber’s examining room, which always has a sharp smell of rubbing alcohol. She’s the patient, and I’m with her sitting on a chair eyeing the metal tray holding at least a dozen tiny vials, so cute they look like they could fit in...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 9, 2013 | Family / Nostalgia, Lists, meditation, Purple Passage, Reflection, Uncategorized
On Integrity You have my word, and my word is stronger than OAK! Quoted in the movie Jerry Maguire On Attitude Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful! Annette Funicello On perspective: Have you heard of the 18/40/60 rule? “When you’re eighteen, you...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 6, 2013 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Facebook asks boldly, “Do you want to post this on your wall?” meaning do you want this information available to your Facebook friends? Obviously, walls in the 1950s were not electronic. The only walls we knew then were made of plaster. But more on that...
by MarianBeaman | Nov 2, 2013 | Amish fiction, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Browse the inspirational-fiction section of most bookstores, and you will find cover after cover of comely young women wearing dresses with capes, and often pensive expressions . . . . Occasionally a male figure lingers in the background, his face obscured by a hat,...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 30, 2013 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
“Tick-uh-tick-uh-tick-uh-tick . . . ” The needle on my mom’s Singer sewing machine jabbed the orange crepe paper as her feet mumble on the treadle. Usually the material came from Mohr’s Fabrics in Lancaster or the Marian & Ruth Covering...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 23, 2013 | Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Reflection, Uncategorized
Wiry Grandpa Martin, was a jolly little man. He had an Old MacDonald-type farm with chickens, a couple of cows, two horses, and maybe a pig though I never heard an oink-oink-oink either here or there. Theirs was a Jack Sprat-type union, with his wife Mary as generous...