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Sharpening Knives, Carving Turkey, and Being Thankful

Sharpening Knives, Carving Turkey, and Being Thankful

by MarianBeaman | Nov 15, 2023 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, meditation, Memory, Nostalgia, Uncategorized

‘Tis the season for roasting turkey. . . carving the bird. . . and expressing gratitude   You can find dozens of tips on how to carve a turkey online. I found this one, on a website dubbed Webstaurant, demonstrating in 59 seconds flat a surefire way to...
20 Snaps Amid the Purple Mountains of Virginia

20 Snaps Amid the Purple Mountains of Virginia

by MarianBeaman | Oct 25, 2023 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, Literature, meditation, Uncategorized

Last week, Cliff and I attended my 60-year-college class reunion at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia. Harrisonburg, VA is a long way from north Florida, so we took a Delta flight. The distance measured in time: a 14 to16-hour car trip, or a 4-hour flight,...
Carolyn’s Treasures: Gifts that Keep on Giving

Carolyn’s Treasures: Gifts that Keep on Giving

by MarianBeaman | Aug 9, 2023 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, meditation, Memory, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized

Early in the morning on my birthday three Mondays ago, my friend Carolyn sang me the birthday song on my iPhone. I heard her warble the notes to “Happy Birthday to Yooooo” with heart and soul. As always, the notes struck a chord with me. We have exchanged the familiar...
Brewing Tea, Recycling Specs, and Feeling Happy

Brewing Tea, Recycling Specs, and Feeling Happy

by MarianBeaman | Jan 18, 2023 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, Lists, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, popular culture, Quotations, Tips, Travel

At Christmas, I got a special gift from my sister Jean: Mennotea, a present guaranteed to warm my heart and recall my Mennonite childhood. Grandma Longenecker’s mint tea in china cups and Mother’s gallon jugs of summertime tea instantly came to mind....
Old Farmer’s Almanac and Carolyn’s Word Gift

Old Farmer’s Almanac and Carolyn’s Word Gift

by MarianBeaman | Jan 11, 2023 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, popular culture, Uncategorized

Did you notice? Even before 2023 rolled around, ads for weight loss appeared on TV. Many made resolutions for the new year even before the ball dropped in Times Square. Maybe you did too. New Year’s resolutions are certainly not a new thing. Even in the early 1900s,...
Serving Stone Soup at Christmas

Serving Stone Soup at Christmas

by MarianBeaman | Dec 14, 2022 | blog, Christmas, Cliff Beaman artist, Gratitude, Literature, neighborhood, popular culture, Recipes, Reflection, Uncategorized

Stone Soup is a European folk story in which hungry strangers convince the people of a town to each share a small amount of their food in order to make a meal that everyone enjoys. The tale serves to illustrate the value of sharing. In varying traditions, the stone...
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