by MarianBeaman | May 23, 2018 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations, Reflection, Uncategorized
I am blessed because I had a Mother who . . . Read to me In appreciation, I once gave this book as a Mother’s Day present to my mother. It came back to me when we sorted through her books and papers in 2014. A well-worn book Mother read to her...
by MarianBeaman | Apr 25, 2018 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, Memory, Quotations
Like the magnolias, petunias and daisies that bloom in Florida this time of year Shakespeare’s birthday pops up in my head, an annual occurrence, probably a carryover from teaching Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear. Like rosemary for remembrance, the date April 23 never...
by MarianBeaman | Apr 4, 2018 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Quotations
Last year when we were sorting through piles of paper in Grandma and Aunt Ruthie’s attic, I found this: just one leaf from a tablet my Grandma Longenecker began as a diary. She may have intended to add more. Grandma’s Diary: the unedited transcription:...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 28, 2018 | blog, Easter, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, meditation, Quotations, Uncategorized
A prophet and a poet deliver an Easter message for 2018. This message is for you if you have ever felt depressed ecstatic or any emotion in between. Story of Jonah Traditionally, the story of Jonah begins with the prophet trying to escape his...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 21, 2018 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Neighborhood / Environment, Quotations, Uncategorized
Howdy, Spring. You’ve been a long time a-comin’ “But you live in Florida,” you say. “Why are you complaining?” I’m not, but I wish for more flowers, more blooming trees, more singing birds ~ strawberries even, which won’t appear until April. I can never get enough of...
by MarianBeaman | Mar 14, 2018 | blog, Family / Nostalgia, Literature, meditation, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Uncategorized
Magnolias are majestic and magnificent. I love magnolias! Magnolias usually appear in late March in north Florida, fading by June. The sensual blooms suggest both passion and fragility, turning brown as they age. These magnolias come from my daughter’s...