Hi, I’m Julie. Let me tell you a story.

Julie Ruble willow bird baking

When I was a little girl, I was in charge of the rice pilaf. I come from a family passionate about food: my grandma made the biscuits and gravy, my dad made the chicken and dumplings, and my mom made anything and everything, with a flourish of buttercream on top. My parents blazed a trail of fried chicken, homemade macaroni, and angel biscuits from their beginnings in the Midwest to my current home in the South. I now live with my husband Mike, my tiny poodle Byrd, and my red-eared slider Squirt in a little apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina.

julie and mike
That’s where I come from, and this is who I am: a believer saved by grace. A writer in love with monumental, stirring images. A storyteller. A teacher. A feminist. An activist. A thinker. And not least, a wrangler of ingredients and kitchen utensils. I love the challenge of a new recipe, and I love the community created by baking, sharing, eating, and communicating about food.

byrd dog

Welcome to Willow Bird

Willow Bird Baking, named after the rescue pup who rescued me, was founded in 2009 as a place to share my real, messy life. There are a lot of recipe websites on the internet, but Willow Bird is not a recipe website. It’s my heart and my stories, a dedicated and loving community of folks who can differ in plenty of ways while still caring for one another, and yes, coconut cakes are thrown in there too.

Get in touch

Email me at julie (at) willowbirdbaking (dot) com. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Sign up to receive Willow Bird recipes in your email inbox or to receive my weekly newsletter. Or subscribe to Willow Bird’s RSS feed.

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1 Comment on about

  1. Sheri Sprouse
    January 1, 2015 at 4:09 am (10 years ago)

    I accidentally found your website and I love it!! You are precious and I thank you for sharing your love for food and life. You make me smile reading your stories….you remind me of my daughter with your wit and story telling abilities. I have recently moved to Guam where the food here is amazing. Thus the reason for the coconut Google where I found you. Wishing you much happiness for the new year!!!

    Hafa Adai, Sheri (That’s like saying Aloha in Hawaii)