by MarianBeaman | Jun 5, 2013 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
The dusty, brown Pennsylvania Railroad train clatters along the tracks behind the woods as we approach Grandma’s house. Mame Goss, Grandma’s cousin, sits close to the bay window with a bag of hats. I notice her merry eyes and smile lines, but Mother comments on her...
by MarianBeaman | Jun 1, 2013 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
Our family has fertile, Lancaster County land in lots and parcels, scattered hither and yon: behind our house there is a small garden of beans, sugar peas, and cucumbers, embroidered with roses and peonies. Then there is a field of four acres in Rheems which Daddy...
by MarianBeaman | May 29, 2013 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
Tomato Girl, Part I Lancaster County, early June 1953 – and I’m in the tomato patch with Mother and Daddy. Actually, it’s not a tomato patch, it’s over 9 acres of farm land not far from Elizabethtown in Bainbridge where we are about to plant a new tomato crop. Years...
by MarianBeaman | May 22, 2013 | Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized
I’ve told my students if they ever see me in a bank behind the teller’s window—RUN! Math has never been my strong suit, but I can spell well. In fourth grade, I always win the spelling bees on Friday. In fact, my winning is so predictable that my friend Wayne tells me...
by MarianBeaman | May 15, 2013 | Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Romance, Uncategorized
Baskin-Robbins offers nearly 60 flavors of ice cream at their shoppes. The varieties of dress among Mennonites and Amish, who split from the Mennonites, is nearly as long and equally fascinating. In recent research, I counted dozens of sub-sects. ...
by MarianBeaman | May 8, 2013 | Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite Lore, Recipes, Uncategorized
As I shove the casserole dish into the oven, I notice the olive oil spray can, the top of the paper towel holder, knives, and a scissors all besmirched with sausage. When did stuffing a Dutch goose (euphemism for pig stomach) take so much time and effort? It seems my...
