by MarianBeaman | Aug 20, 2025 | blog, British History, Easter, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
10 Scents from My Young Life 1. Saffron in Grandma’s pot pie Grandma used burnt-orange threads of saffron from a white packet. Mine comes in a tiny glass jar from Homegoods, more expensive, of course. 2. Tomatoes on vine in our Bainbridge, Pennsylvania...
by MarianBeaman | Aug 6, 2025 | blog, book review, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Nostalgia, Quotations, Romance, Tips
August 5, 1967: How I Learned What it Means to Obey The summer Cliff and I got married I served as a secretary in the office of Pastor Deane Ballard at Calvary Presbyterian Church. As our wedding day approached, I got to choose the wording of our marriage vows....
by MarianBeaman | Jun 25, 2025 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Gratitude, Memory, Nostalgia, Paska, Travel, Ukraine, Uncategorized
Flowers, a bottle of wine, a box of candy, even a potted plant—these are the gifts guests often choose to present to a gracious host, responding to an invitation. My neighbor Mila offers both gifts when she comes to our house for lunch or supper. Mila...
by MarianBeaman | May 14, 2025 | Award, blog, book review, British History, Conflict, Memory, Quotations, Travel, Uncategorized
What if you lost your home? lost your livelihood? had a dire diagnosis? With triple trauma, Raynor Winn, armed with Paddy Dillon’s guidebook and husband Moth with a copy of Beowulf, embark on a 630-mile walk on the sea-swept South West Coast Path. From Somerset...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 5, 2025 | blog, book review, Coming of Age, Literature, Memory, Novel writing, Novel writing, Tips, Uncategorized
When I retired from college teaching, my colleagues gifted me with an illustrated Alice in Wonderland. Last week when I pulled this book from the shelf, I flipped through the illustrations, focusing on the characters, especially the March Hare. Why?...
by MarianBeaman | Jan 22, 2025 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Memory, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Romance, Uncategorized
From January to June 1967, creating my wedding gown kept me in stitches. Before my August wedding date, I was thrilled to first find a pattern, purchase fabric, and then fashion a white peau de soie dress on a budget. My roommates in the little bungalow on Middleton...
