12-05-2025
Mother's Day afternoon tea celebrates familial bonds old and new
Five years ago, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michele McGuire came to Ceresville Mansion just north of the city of Frederick to watch her daughter Erin Detert get married.
On Sunday, the pair returned to the venue for a special afternoon tea to celebrate their own mother-daughter relationship and the start of a new one.
Detert, of Rockville, is expecting a baby girl — her first child — at the beginning of July. McGuire, of Germantown, joked that Sunday was Mother's Day for her and "pre-Mother's Day" for Detert.
Detert said she appreciates McGuire's kindness and generosity, as well as how she "always takes care of the people she loves."
The fact of her becoming a mom hasn't quite set in yet, Detert said.
But when the baby does come, McGuire said, she thinks her daughter will be "very loving."
"I think she will make time for her, and bring her up under God's blessings," McGuire said.
A total of 80 guests came to Ceresville Mansion for the Mother's Day afternoon tea on Sunday, according to Marketing and Development Director Darina Argueta. It was the venue's second year hosting the event, and it sold out both times.
"It's an honor to celebrate our mothers and be part of the Frederick community in the celebration of those who gave us all life," Argueta wrote in a message on Sunday. "We are excited to continue this annual tradition for many years to come."
Alexander Funk and his mother Gina Funk traveled to Frederick from the Hanover, Pennsylvania, area for the Mother's Day tea.
Gina said her own mother started the tradition of going to tea when Alexander and his younger sister, who was finishing her final exams in New York on Sunday, were little. Ceresville Mansion was one venue they hadn't been to yet.
Alexander said he enjoyed the tea at the mansion so much that he didn't have to add any cream or sugar — a rarity since he is picky when it comes to tea.
He credits his mom and her "tough love" for making him into the person he is now.
"That's what I look up to, and what I hope to bring to my kids someday," Alexander said.
Gina said she admires Alexander's carefree personality, saying she wishes she had more of that trait herself.
At the same time, Gina said, "I like how he has developed into a man who I actually enjoy having a lunch with."
Constance Baptist did not know what she was doing for Mother's Day until Sunday morning. Her daughter Ashlé Barfield always keeps their plans a surprise, even picking out her mom's outfit for the holiday.
Baptist and Barfield, both of Monrovia, have always enjoyed a close relationship. Their birthdays are just four days apart, and Barfield is Baptist's only child.
Raising Barfield as a single parent was a struggle at times, Baptist said, and things weren't always perfect. But there has always been love between them.
Barfield said her favorite thing about Baptist is "her nurturing spirit."
"I never felt like I went without anything — physically, emotionally or spiritually," Barfield said.
The pair grew even closer in 2023, when Baptist underwent brain surgery. She said Barfield stayed by her side the whole time and helped nurse her back to health.
"You can tell how strong your bond is when your children become adults, and they come back to take care of you," she said.
