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Aunt Ruthie as a 100-year old: Her Diary Speaks

Aunt Ruthie as a 100-year old: Her Diary Speaks

by MarianBeaman | Oct 3, 2018 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized

My Aunt Ruthie died at age 98 1/2, so she never reached 100, a goal I sensed she hoped for in her healthy years. But she did celebrate birthdays on October 4 every year before then. Some happily in elder days.     Other celebrations had mixed results as her...
What Editing Looks Like: A Peek into Memoir

What Editing Looks Like: A Peek into Memoir

by MarianBeaman | Sep 26, 2018 | blog, book review, Coming of Age, Memory, Quotations, Tips, Uncategorized

I’ve been writing memoir for 3 ½ years now, three more if you count years spent blogging snippets that have become memoir chapters.. Truthfully, I’m ready for this part of the process to end. And it will soon. The Tricky Mind Since 2015, I’ve taken memoir-writing...
Remembering Brother Mark’s Birthday

Remembering Brother Mark’s Birthday

by MarianBeaman | Sep 5, 2018 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations

My brother Mark would have turned 65 last week on August 30, an age that often comes with the privileges of retirement, senior discounts, and leisure. He never reached that milestone here on earth. God called him to his heavenly home on May 22, 2018. On his 64th...
Real Men Wear Aprons and Make Flan

Real Men Wear Aprons and Make Flan

by MarianBeaman | Aug 29, 2018 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Quotations, Tips

Two Beaman families enjoyed Mexican fare at Chuy’s, a Fifties-themed restaurant where patrons can observe hand-rolled tortillas being tossed in air and prepared for the table. When our orders were delivered, we stuffed ourselves with tacos, enchiladas, and burritos....
Memoir Progress: Peaks and Valleys

Memoir Progress: Peaks and Valleys

by MarianBeaman | Aug 1, 2018 | blog, book review, Memory, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Tips, Uncategorized

Writing a book is a long, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven by some demon one can neither resist nor understand.                 ~ George Orwell Orwell is right about the...
Aunt Ruthie’s Diary and My Birthday

Aunt Ruthie’s Diary and My Birthday

by MarianBeaman | Jul 25, 2018 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, meditation, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Uncategorized

I don’t remember my first birthday. Can anyone recall that far back in time? But I do remember the highchair because all four of us children used it. And I remember the backyard at my parents’ house, the clothesline, and of course the outhouse, in later years guarded...
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