In the midst of a busy wedding season, I managed to corner Connie Weech in Mt. Vernon. A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of briefly chatting with Connie at a wedding at her place of business, The Grand Willow Inn. What impressed me the most was her attitude about family, success and life.  I needed to learn more, and I also wanted to share her ideas with you…the world.

Success is not an overnight thing according to Connie. She left southern California twenty some years ago in pursuit of a better life for her family. Every season presents a new demand which must be dealt with. Connie never actually planned to enter to the wedding business but always had a genuine love for people and enjoyed the idea of making people happy. Trained as an interior decorator, she has spent most of her adult life either as a real estate broker or real estate investor. She acquired The Grand Willow eight years ago in a foreclosure settlement and quickly set about gutting and remodeling The Grand Willow to its present day standard. If you have an adventurous heart, visit The Grand Willow Inn’s Facebook page and view the remarkable 2million$$ Later before and after photos.

The Grand Willow 2001

The Grand Willow Today

Connie said The Grand Willow is for the discerning seeker and that it is not uncommon to redirect a client elsewhere where their needs may be better served.  Compared to the local competition, The Grand Willow is reasonably priced and the service is unmatchable. It’s not always about money with Connie. The client must have a value experience; otherwise, the whole dream wedding experience becomes meaningless.

The Grand Willow’s onsite wedding coordinator impressed me the most. Often I meet brides who have no idea who is going to manage the flow and assume things are going to magically fall into place. Even though The Grand Willow’s wedding coordinator was technically not on the clock, sensing the wedding party’s inability to make critical decisions, the coordinator quickly intervened, quietly took charge, called the shots and instantly restored harmony.  I should add that this particular wedding was a “bare essentials” package which did not include a wedding coordinator. Most of Connie’s weddings, for the past 6 1/2 years, have included a coordinator. Clients naturally gravitate toward the all-inclusive packages because they prefer being responsibility free on their special day.

Bird's Eyeview of Ceremony

The grounds are spacious enough to accommodate gracious outdoor planning and in case of inclement weather activities can quickly shift indoors with yet room to spare. Reflecting on my own Northwest experience, I learned that having access to an indoor facility is wise planning. Three years ago I received an email from a bride describing her miseries.  ” While I’m grateful to all who made our day special, weather wise,  it was the worst day of my life.”

Many do-it-yourselfers are sticker stricken after renting canopies, chairs, eating ware, making sure all provisions are met, renting outdoor toileting facilities.  Add up all expenses, and the stress of it all, you’re probably looking at more than what you’d pay The Grand Willow Inn. Let’s digress; speaking of porta potties, even from a man’s point of view, nothing beats indoor plumbing. Even in the cool of the Northwest, porta potties can get hot and suffocating. You’ve spent at least a thousand so far, do you want to subject your eloquent best dressed guest or squeeze the bride into a claustrophobic experience.  The bathrooms at the Grand Willow are not only indoors but the Bride has her own with a large soaking tub. The guest bathrooms are very nice also.

Point made I’m sure, now let us move on to less practical matters such as fun. With all practical matters settled, guests are greeted and the ceremony flows seamlessly .  The ringing and I-Dos are exchanged. The Pianist strikes the keys and the rest of the evening is a blur of fellowship, dancing and promises to stay in touch.  The best man wheels the honey moon machine around front for a celebrated departure. Rose petals fill the air as the bride and groom give one last kiss for the camera. Vendors weep inwardly, knowing that harmony reigns in the great Northwest because another family trusted The Grand Willow to facilitate their event.

Living the Dream

Enhance your experience

It’s not about making money. It’s about making a commitment to ensure your client has a valuable memorable experience. Was this just talk? No, last year she proved the experience for herself. What really reassured Connie that she’s on the right track? Connie admitted, weddings can be expensive. Was it worth spending all the time, money and energy on a wedding…a one-time deal that’s over in a blink of an eye?

Reception Area

Last year Connie had an opportunity to prove the validity of her beliefs and business practices. Her son announced that he was getting married. Rather than elope or elect a civil ceremony her son chose to be married on the property. Connie went all the way out as far as expenses and provisions. Family and friends visiting from as far away as California and Texas were afforded the very best quality and professionalism a wedding venue could provide. The experience not only proved worthwhile, Connie had measurable results. All the guest and family had a wonderful time. She didn’t mind paying the associated wedding bills because she had a memorable experience which validated her love for family and friends. She was able to demonstrate proof of her validity and still beams with excitement today as she retells the story. Confident that she had chosen the right vocation, she moves forward continually revising her marketing plan.

Combined with in-house wedding coordinator and catering at competitive prices, a client can’t ask for a better experience. Connie has unmatched zeal for her calling. She’s goes beneath the surface to ensure that each client is a perfect fit for The Grand Willow and that they’ll have the most enchanting carefree experience of your life. Get to know Connie through her work and philosophy you won’t regret the adventure…I didn’t.

View through Gazebo

Last minute update…The Grand Willlow Inn has been nominated again this year for King 5 Evening Magazine’s Best of Western Washington.  If you’re familiar with their services show your support by clicking http://ctvr.us/thegrand1 . They were #5 in the top 5 last year, it would be awesome to be #1.

Do you have a passion for photography or want to learn more about digital photography? Want to bond or network with other photo geeks or even go out on photo excursions? If you’re nodding yes, then Whidbey Island Camera Club is the right place for you. WICC meets the third Tuesday each month at Skagit Valley Community College, Room 306 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm. Attendance is FREE of charge and all are welcome to attend. Email three images to absolutescience@hotmail.com if you want to submit images for critique.

WICC’s meetings start with a casual roll call, followed by a fifteen minute class or presentation and a five minute Q&A.  Class topics vary from How to Define a Black & White Image to Professional Insurance Liabilities. Since we live in an opinionated world, some of the Q&A sessions have gotten quite heated. The rest of the time is dedicated to image review and critique. Presentations are theme oriented so watch your local paper for topic choice of the month. Guest and members are HIGHLY encouraged to email three images in advance to facilitate this process. Images are projected and opened to a gentle group discussion.

WICC is more than a meeting of photo geeks. They have a range of talent from amateurs to professionals. Some members still dabble in film photography while others are still searching for the right digital camera. Members are involved in sales and promotional activities in the local community. Samples of work can occasionally be seen at Oak Harbor Senior Center and at the Oak Harbor Branch of Sno-Isle Libraries.

WICC shares a reciprocal agreement with the Skagit Valley Camera Club and members can often be seen co-sponsoring or supporting shared events.

WICC includes the technical, the business as well as the social. They have an annual picnic at Rocky Point in late August; and an anniversary potluck gala in January. Both of these family events are open to the public.

In June WICC opened its Earth Sanctuary trip to the general public. They had record participation. Earth Sanctuary generously offered a group rate. July the club provided photo coverage for the Deception Pass Bridge 75^th Anniversary celebration. Yes and to stay hip with the times, WICC can be found on Facebook. As you can see WICC offers many opportunities to become involved and strut your talents. Of course you can choose to not be so involved and just meet, greet and foster new relationships. It’s all GOOD and you’re invited to become part of the WICC family.

Want to find out more about this very exciting eclectic community or get on their newsletter list? Showing up for the next meeting is the best way to get connected but in the meantime email absolutescience@hotmail.com for more info.

The third annual Fiesta Unidos Festival in Burlington was a blast. Many businesses in the area gathered in support of the local Hispanic Community. Follow the link above to learn the history of this very worthwhile fun-filled family event.

Speaking of family… I met a family that’s taking their dream on the road. Tammy and Matt of Rockin Ryno Airbrush Tattoo just started their dream business two weeks ago and already they’re out demonstrating their talents publically. Matt works in a woodshop and Tammy in a dental office. They offered free tattoos with the hope that they can generate some business leads.

Tammy of Rockin Ryno Airbrush Tattoo struttin' her batwings.

While not the tattoo type, I did choose a stylish green and red gecko tattoo that matched my white and brown island shirt. Tammy said that I looked cool and would fit right in at the breakdancing competition, my next assignment.

Dr. John takes a break

It’s not all play at these street fairs. It requires a lot of physical and mental stamina. Fortunately, the sky was sunny and the winds were minimal. Dr. John of Orcas Island Sourdough Bakers has been working the circuits for years and he knows when a little siesta is needed.

I enjoy these local events. Mingling with my community gives me an opportunity to learn about people’s dreams…what drives them to take their craft on the road.

As mentioned earlier, being a vendor is hard work requiring a lot of behind the scene preparation and often your rent money. You have to be thick-skinned and not yield easily to discouragement.   It is worth it? Ask the next vendor you meet and shoot me a comment.

The People

Miles Hartt, coordinator

Saturday evening, breakdancing crews from all over converged at North Whidbey Middle School for the first annual “Backpack Throw-down.” Miles Hartt was the mastermind behind this fundraising attempt to raise money for kids returning to school who can’t afford back-to-school supplies. Judging  from the size of the crowd, it appears his team was quite successful. Give it up for Miles!

Jitterbug move by Goodtimes Groove

Many great young dancers but Good Time Grooves, a male and female team, slipped in an old jitterbug move that made the competition tuck their tails and whimper.

I heard it was about prize money, bragging rights and something to do on a Saturday night. Regardless of the motives these guys are talent!

A young bouncy fella on the side copping a groove ready to swing into action.

The Future... Warming Up

Larabee State Park, Washington State’s oldest and largest state park, is located six miles (10 km) south of the city of Bellingham. You can choose your own route; we chose to drive through the historic village of Boe to hit Chuckanut Drive. The hairpin twists and turns and scenic lookouts along Chuckanut Drive can be an excursion in and of itself.

The graffiti tunnel under the train tracks entrance was interesting. We didn’t see a train but our youngest, a Thomas the Tank Engine fan, was amused when a rail repair truck clickety-clacked overhead.

Tides pools located on the rocky ledges are homes for sea anemones, crabs, star fish and other sealife isolated due to low tide. One mom equated the ledges to the Pacific Science Museum of the Northwest but only outdoors. Great comparison but Pacific Science Museum it is not. An element of caution should be exercised; this is a true to life outdoor adventure that could lead to injury. The ledges are slippery and it’s easy to take a fall. The sign at the park entrance stated: Stay Alert! The small print goes on to warn against leaving valuables unattended in vehicles but the warning can be extended to safety in general. As a father of two rumbustious boys, I realize that there is little alertness when it comes to active outdoor play. There’s only pause when one gets hurt.

Shortly after arriving, despite parents zombie like chants to “be careful”  a boy fell badly injuring his elbows and knees.  Unfortunately, the family’s beach adventure was brought to a premature end. Also despite his painful wails and fresh blood spilling onto the barnacle covered stones, kids continued to frolic and  leap amongst the boulders and rocky shoreline as if nothing had happened.

Mother and Father Comforting Fallen Son

We arrived at noon so the tide was coming in. Choose your time wisely because once the tide rolls in the sandy surf becomes limited. The slick seaweed covered rocks, to the left, are hard to navigate and can prove dangerous for kids to traverse but is home to tons of purple starfish. Shaded, these starfish lack the brilliance or animation of their counterparts located across the beach on the stony ledges in the tide pools. I’m partial to Whidbey  beaches would not visit Larabee just for the beach experience alone. I should add that my son cast a contrary vote because of the tide pools and starfish. So there you have it: dueling options.

Larabee is your basic tried and proven highly maintained Washington state park with all the amenities plus more. The trails are fenced, well beaten and marked off.  It’s a perfect family park with facilities available for picnicking and special events. Beach access and bike trails are adequate. Restrooms are available, clean and functional. There’s nothing worse than encouraging a young girl to use a smelly fly infested toilets. Our two year old would have been perfectly content with playing on the playground or playacting on the half dome stage but we had other plans.

Larabee State Park  covers 2,683 acres; admittedly, I only explored a mere fraction. The park has more to offer than one person’s mere opinion and to attempt to reduce one of nature’s greatest wonders to a short pictorial blog would be an injustice. Probably best to just taste and see for yourself….it’s free. Next time well probably hit the bicycle trail.

Was It Real?

Started off as a rainy cloudy sort of day so everyone overdressed but by 3 pm most people had stripped down to t-shirts—but such is island life. They looked like a happy well-adjusted bunch. Make sure you have your budget straight. Between parking, food and entrance fees, a family of four could quickly spend two day’s pay. Considering all, it’s a great place for a full day adventure. Many old friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate the joy of a small town type atmosphere. It’s amazing how small the world is.

And of course a fair wouldn’t be a fair without a 4-H presence. Red and blue ribbons and awards with colorful streamers adorned cages of all nature. To my astonishment, my computer crazed son now wants to join 4-H to enter his guinea pig. Maybe the price of admission was worth it!

As per county fair standard, there was a range of live entertainment…some passive and some interactive. When I was a kid vendors peddling their services and wares could be heard shouting out the attributes of their product line for miles around. Now their drowned in background noise. I suppose times have changed for some things. I should add, the best food vendors on Island are setup at the fair. I’m still picking the corn from between my teeth. With a balance of educational opportunities, as well as a time for fun and fine eating, I’d rate Island County Fair as a day trip to be remembered.

In sweeps the fog flowing from camera right. Just when I thought it’s time for the show to end another strong wave sweeps over the bridge as if fueled by an invisible source. An hour, I’m still immersed in this mesmeric form of art…thank God I’m digital and have access to unlimited ones and zeros.

A Russian speaking family walked up behind me and a young boy quickly sprinted ahead, jumped on a log barrier and started narrating. In his native tongue, hands melodically outlining the flow of the fog, the shape of the bridge and land, I felt as if I could understand every word he said. The father and mother would comment but he shook his head in disagreement. They often cupped their chins, nodding and awing.  Finally the father checked his watch, abruptly shouted out some commands and the team scurried for the car. The boy turned to me with his narrations. The mother yelled for him to come. Finally she ran over, beamed at me with horrid eyes and dragged the son toward the car. The boy, eyes full of stories yet untold, was still speaking and waving his hands.

Midst a slight crunch of gravel, a pecan colored skinned family, gently, emerged. Three women wearing soft woven sandals, bearing dark spot on their foreheads spoke in whispers as their Indian sarees whipped in the breeze. One slipped out a smart phone and they took turns snapping photos of themselves with the fog in the background. And like the wind they were gone leaving no trace.

The quiet of all moments was disturbed by a loud crunch of gravel as a hefty 4×4 bearing Canadian license plates bolted to stop. Out jumped a towering weathered man who later, in a single breath, described himself as a kayaker who loved talking about lens, cameras, the economy, cars, beer, hiking, etc. Disturbed, I looked up into an array of smart phones, cellphones with cameras and digital recording technologies. The spot had gotten busy. I relocated to a more peaceful spot a stone’s toss away.

Oh how this bridge changed the whole landscape of Whidbey Island. The longer I live on Whidbey, the more ignorant and appreciative I become of the land, people and of blood ties that bind.

Did you see the fog yesterday? Amazing! It took 3 images spliced together to tell the whole story and I still can’t fit the whole story in the frame. Whidbey life is simply Amazing! Just wasn’t meant to be contained.

Have to say, I called that boy at least five times reminding him that we have to be in church in fifteen minutes. I looked out the window and what do I see? He’s patrolling back and forth making bubbles with his brother’s toy lawnmower bubble maker. At first, I was angry then I opened my eyes to the beauty of the moment. Against a strongly backlit situation, the yard and air were filled with iridescent bubbles. Streams of bubbles flowed down hill, bounced off the grass, bursting or floating off into the heavens. Caught up in the solace of the moment, I also noticed that he and his brother were entertaining each other without fighting. A two for one blessing I thought.  The scenario really shifted into a defining moment when I think I heard my mom calling me…faintly at first, but louder toward the end. She often reminded me that what I did as a child would come back to haunt me; however, that’s another blog post.

There are tons of manuals and training videos on raising a family but these plug-ins and Apps don’t guarantee  ironclad assurance. Perhaps raising children is an art brought about by reliance on years of tradition, trial and error, success and seeming failures. Midst the great confusion of raising kids, I often stretch my hands forth, high, in heavenly surrender seeking higher guidance— praying for kids that come the first time, cleanup behind themselves, eat dinner when told. But atlas, at this moment I find myself eternally grateful that I’m able to stall my sense of rush long enough to enjoy the spontaneity of the moment and partake of the wisdom at hand.

Help me to grow in patience, love and foresight to know that childrearing is not a new thing under the sun.

You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.

Abraham Lincoln

Saturday was probably the hottest day in the human history of Whidbey, yet people still thronged the parking lots in search of adventure. With Barry Manilow’s Copacabana jamming in the background, one couldn’t help but pop their fingers and romanticize days gone by. Everybody showed up. Well…almost everybody— due to an, admitted, thirty plus years of hard drinking Lola was under the weather. Rumor has it she’s still drinking herself ½ blind. Talk strong vision or lack there of…whew! She still can’t let the whole thing go. But who am I to judge; I got my own baggage.

Everyone else appeared to be having fun. Moving and grooving in between friends and shade spots, I made the rounds, put in face-time, supported the local vendors and then made my way back home, only to be impeded by a listing Chevy. The son was most impressed by this one!

The North Whidbey Lions Club 20th Annual Car Show! In the words of Aretha Franklin: a good thing.