by MarianBeaman | Jul 29, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Nostalgia, Reflection, Uncategorized
My baby book tells the story of my life from birth to age 3. My mother, Ruth Metzler Longenecker, recorded the details of my early life in a cushiony pink volume with dimensions, 6 x 8 inches, popular in mid-century America. Although the pages allowed for more, Mother...
by MarianBeaman | Jan 14, 2026 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Looking back Seven years ago, in 2019, I wrote my first memoir. One of my goals was to discover the source of my father’s anger, often directed to me. I had a mostly happy childhood because of close ties with my extended family. Yet, over a dozen pages in Mennonite...
by MarianBeaman | Dec 10, 2025 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, popular culture, Uncategorized
Three generations of family gathered at our house in 1998 for a Florida Christmas. Two Daltons came from Chicago, Illinois; two Longeneckers from Pennsylvania, and a bunch of Jacksonville aunts, uncles and cousins joined the group at our house in Killarney Shores...
by MarianBeaman | Oct 29, 2025 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Nostalgia, popular culture, Recipes, Tips, Uncategorized
HOW I BEGAN Along with the recipe, I set the can of lentil soup can on the counter. It was certainly visible! I’d be sure to see it and use it as a starter for making a quick batch of stomach-warming soup as the weather turned cooler in October. Right?...
by MarianBeaman | Sep 17, 2025 | Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations
What I Saw I sit on a green stuffed chair in my Grandma Longenecker’s parlor. The top of my back legs feel a little itchy. My mother has starched my Sunday dress to make the skirt stand out nice and pretty. Because I am little, I can see the tips of my high-top shoes,...
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....
