A Birthday to Remember ~

My mother, (author Liz Adair pictured above), is not one to make a fuss over a birthday. But this is her 85th year of being alive! When she voiced the desire for a party, complete with ukuleles, singing and traditional round dancing, I knew we had to make it happen. What started out as a small family gathering morphed into a full-on summer family reunion.

Do U do Ukulele?

For years Mom has encouraged her grandkids to play the ukulele. In preparation for her birthday celebration, she purchased ukuleles for great grandkids and in-laws.

The Birthday Songbook ~

Mom worked and worked to make singalong songbooks with folksongs and religious favorites that our family has been singing around the campfire for decades. This booklet was for the singers. (It’s an ‘almost’ birthday because her birthday is actually in November.)

We had tenor and baritone ukuleles and a couple guitars. Each instrument had to have a separate song book with chord charts for the proper fingering Mom made a chorded songbook for each player.

Dancing Like Pioneers

I’m sure you heard of square dancing. But have you heard of round dancing? It’s where you dance in a circle and it doesn’t matter the number of people. The circle can grow as big as you want.

We had a great time on the east lawn joining hands and dancing together as mom called out the steps for O Johnny O and The Pattycake Polka.

The Best Gift ~

Mom said she didn’t want any gifts, but I told people they could bring her flowering plants for her garden. My niece Lucy created the best present. It’s a painting of when my father and mother were first dating. Lucy recreated the moment from a black-and-white photo. It is a beautiful work of art.

Before mom’s birthday, she took a fall in her garden tripping over some of her potted seedlings. Gratefully she did not break anything, but she did hit her forehead pretty hard on the patio. She had her Apple Watch on which notified me, my siblings, and 911.

Mom and I were both amazed at the bruising that migrated from her forehead to her eyes then down her cheeks, changing color as the days and weeks went by. The fall did not slow her down! We had a birthday party to put on and would not be deterred.

For those of you who are new to the Willowbrook Word, I’m Terry, owner and caretaker of Willowbrook Manor English Tea House and Farm Stay located in beautiful Skagit Valley. My mom, author Liz Adair, lives with me here on the farm. She has her own corner in this newsletter. Make sure to read to the end because we always include a giveaway that you can sign up to win.

First Chamomile Festival ~

Our first ever Chamomile Festival Walk/Bike/Run was a tremendous success!

The weather was overcast and perfect for sipping tea and nibbling on warm scones under the tea tent then walking, biking, or running down the cascade trail to the charming town of Lyman for a delicious lunch.

Many participants arrived the night before and enjoyed making it a weekend by staying at the manor.

A Sweet Story ~

Rachel is taking a selfie with her group of friends who walked almost 9 miles from Willowbrook to the Lyman Tavern and back for our Chamomile Festival Walk/Bike/Run. Vanessa is pushing the stroller so Jason and Tia, walking beside, can be seen by their children.

Time Warp ~

This picture was taken in September 2022. It was a bachelorette party that began with E- bikes and finished with tea and scones at Willowbrook Manor’s High Camp . You will recognize Tia, the bride-to-be, and Rachel from the previous photo. Tia and Jason married just two days after I hosted this lovely group of ladies.

Four Years Later ~

It was thrilling to have Tia return 4 years later to attend the Chamomile Festival with her husband and two adorable kids. It warmed my heart to see the transformation from single young lady to mother of a beautiful family. Thank you, Tia and friends for sharing joy on the first annual Chamomile Festival Walk/Bike/Run.

I Love a Parade ~

Sedro Woolley’s Fourth of July parade is what small-town America is all about. I love being part of it, turning the farm trailer into a tea-float, loaded with friends and family, billows of bubbles and Willowbrook E-bikes circling the procession. In front of the van you can see my 63 Ford falcon pulling the Red Falcon Road sign, promoting the YouTube channel Mom and I host.

Mid-parade, the Falcon’s engine began to fail. All of the warning lights were blazing. Steven, Melissa, and new-born Wyatt, were in the front seat with Penny (the dog) in the back. Steven was cool as a cucumber, allowing the car to coast, restarting it in neutral, and revving the engine, each time buying a bit more distance before the car quit again. The crowd would cheer with each throaty roar from the V8 engine, thinking it was part of the performance.

We were almost to the end of the parade when the little red car refused to start again. That is when I jumped off my bike, put my hands on the trunk, and began to push. I couldn’t believe my eyes when out of the crowd a half dozen strong people jumped up to help. The miraculous part was an open driveway that we were able to push the car into and out of the parade route.

My nephew, Nate, happened to see what was going on and trotted over to diagnose the problem. He hopped on my bike, rode to his house, loaded up the basket with oil and coolant and returned to get the 63-year-old car running again.

The crowd cheered when the red Ford Falcon Futura pulled back into the parade. It was like something out of a movie.

I cheered for Nate saving the day.

A special thanks to family and friends that joined in to make our Fourth of July parade day so much fun.

“Best Scones I’ve Ever Tasted” ~

Without fail, at every tea event I host, people comment that my sweet cream scones are the best they have ever had. Many ask for my recipe. I tell them that I don’t give out my recipe, but I do offer my fail-proof scone mix.

A Willowbrook Scone Mix Subscription ~

I’ve created a way to make Willowbrook Scone mix more accessible. It is Willowbrook Scone mix subscription! It works like this: two times a year, you will be mailed five bags of scone mix (each bag makes 24 scones). The first shipment arrives in May just in time for Mother’s Day giving. The second shipment comes in December in time for holiday baking or to give to friends and neighbors. You can either stock your pantry with each shipment or a tie ribbon around each bag to make it a thoughtful present.

The subscription is $15 a month and covers the cost of 10 bags of scone mix plus shipping and handling. You can save 20% by paying in full for the year. Click HERE to subscribe.

Woolley Tea Sept 12th ~

Woolley Tea will be here before you know it. This tea event is where you can wear your favorite wool sweater or tweed, bring your knitting, and sip tea while nibbling on sheep-themed sweets and savories. Local artist Rhonda Potts will have her collection of sheep paintings on display.

Skagit Woolen Works will have local woolen products in a pop-up store at Woolley Tea. I can’t wait to purchase some of their wool dryer balls.

The inspiration for Woolley Tea comes from the latest Emma Thompson and Hugh Jackman murder mystery called The Sheep Detectives. I fell in love with the movie and asked the Concrete Theatre to partner with me in providing an experience steeped in sheep!

So come to Woolley Tea, THEN, take the scenic drive to Concrete to watch The Sheep Detectives movie. The 11:00 and 11:30 tea sessions go to the 2:00 movie and the 2:00 and 2:30 tea sessions will watch the 5:00 movie. Ticket price of $69 includes high tea and movie ticket. Click HERE to book Woolley Tea.

There are overnight rooms available at the manor for those who who would like to make Woolley Tea a weekend getaway. Reply to this email to ask for rates.

Harvest Tea ~

Tea fans can’t wait for Harvest Tea because it is the only time we serve my sweet potato/apple/carrot soup. It is so SO good!

Harvest Tea is just 3 days this year: October 10th, 17th & 24th. Make your reservation soon before we get fully booked. The cost is $60/person. Click here to make your reservation.

Holiday Tea ~

I know Christmas feels a long way away, but we are taking reservations for Holiday Tea which will be December 5th, 12th, and 19th. It is a magical time to come for high tea. Click HERE to book.

This year we are offering private parties on Fridays during the holiday season (Dec. 4th, 11th, and 18th) for families and businesses to celebrate the season together. Groups of from 12 to 24 people can book a private room for high tea. You can respond to this email to request a date.

Time For Liz ~

This is where I turn the pen over to my mother, author Liz Adair. Here she is:

Liz Sez ~

Not everyone was a hippie in the 1960s. Those who opted for the preppy style, called “Ivy League” at that time, occupied the other end of the social spectrum. But what they both and all gradations in between had in common was a love of folk songs and a knowledge of the basic canon of American traditional music.

Students really did sit on college campus lawns and sing, accompanied by a guitar or two. Teenagers really did gather around the piano in someone’s living room and sing the evening away. They called the sessions hootenannys or singalongs or songfests, and it was all very participatory, very inclusive.

We don’t sing much in America anymore. With the decrease in church attendance comes a decrease in the chance to sing with a congregation. When school budgets tighten, the elementary music person is one of the first positions cut, and there goes an introduction to American folk songs. Gone are the days when community singing followed the newsreel and the cartoon in the movie theaters. We would follow the bouncing ball as it marked time over the lyrics projected on the screen, and we’d sing songs like “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” and “You Are My Sunshine.” We might not know each other, but we knew the songs. It was instant community.

More than that, when you have a group of people singing the same word on the same note they are actually on the same wavelength. Well, almost all are. There are always people in the group who can’t match a tone. Even so, community singing is a great unifying force.

When Derrill and I were first married, instead of investing in a TV, we bought a tenor guitar.

With four strings instead of six, it’s easy to play, and if you master three chords, you can accompany hundreds of folk songs. Derrill knew more than three, and we spent lots of evenings in song. When our kids were just starting school, we sold his trombone and bought a standup bass (real handy when it came time to move), and I learned the basic chords, so I could take over the tenor guitar.

We finally did get a TV, but singalong evenings were still a regular occurrence in the Adair living room and at family campouts.

The tradition carried on as grandchildren joined the family. Derrill loved introducing them to the baritone ukulele, teaching them their first two chords and “Down in the Valley,” a song they could sing with those two chords.

What a great present at my birthday party, to have fourteen ukuleles and two guitars strumming away as we sang our way through the likes of “Sloop John B,” “Shenandoah,” and “Amazing Grace.” We could have had four or five more if there had been space to carry a baritone uke on the airplane.

Several of my grandchildren have expressed how much they loved the singing and how good it made them feel. That’s because we were voicing words we’d sung many times before alongside others now with us only in memory. And we were all on the same wavelength, finishing “Down In the Valley” at 261.63 hertz, which is middle C.

– Liz

Now back to Terry…

This Month’s Winners ~

This months giveaway winners of cranberry orange loose leaf tea and a Willowbrook notecard are:

• Angela J from Concrete WA
• Martha C from Marysville, WA
• Sarah J from Olympia, WA
• Sonja N from Highland
• Rachelle G from Central, UT

This Month’s Giveaway ~

This month’s giveaway is a PDF file of the songbook my mom put together for the Almost 85th Birthday Party and it is open to anyone who would like to have it. It is full of our family’s favorite folk songs and includes chords and ukulele chord diagrams for baritone, tenor and soprano ukuleles. Click HERE to request your copy. Make sure to leave us a note to let us know what you are up to and what kind of ukulele you play.

That is it for this issue of The Willowbrook Word!

I appreciate you reading to the end. We are having a great summer here and hope that you are well. Remember to take time to slow down and sip a cup of tea.
-t