Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Friendship ~ The Ladies in Ojai 2012



Of all the things which provides to make life entirely happy,
much the greatest is the possession of friendship.

~Epicurus
341BC- 270BC



Sometimes we have an over-abundance of blessings in a particular area of our lives. For me, it's my friends. Friendship takes everything you hear about ... time, love, compassion, listening, gentle honesty, sometimes patience, humility, optimism, gratitude and the ability to spot awesome people and invest time and love in them. You have to be open to it, but I do think part of it is choosing wisely. Listen to what people say, are they sensitive? Do they have integrity? Are they kind?

I have newer friends and I have old friends. Some I have known since I was a little girl and some since high school. The old high school gang tries to get together as often as possible for a "girls weekend." Sometimes it takes awhile to get everyone in the same place, at the same time, but after a year and 3 months, we pulled it off.

The ladies came to Ojai while I was housesitting, and here is a bit of what we were up to.

After a Friday night of making and eating Italian food and enjoying our Italian beverages (Prosecco, Vino and Limoncello!) we got up Saturday and headed for the hills. (literally) I decided to take them for a walk back at the Ventura River Preserve ...


Ojai January 2012





With every true friendship,
we build more firmly the foundations
on which the peace of the whole world rests.

~Mahatma Gandhi





Later we packed a picnic and headed to the Old Creek Ranch Winery for tasting and a bit of dining al fresco!




To know someone with whom you can feel there is understanding,
in spite of distances or thoughts expressed,
that can make life a garden.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe






The Barbera was my favorite! (We bought a bottle for our picnic.)



Another winery, Vino V gives tastings there as well, and they are very tasty too!!! The Syrah was gorgeous! (Ended up with a bottle of that for the picnic, as well.)

They also had some lovely whites ...






Wineries usually have some fun gift items but I managed to stay out of trouble. Loved the vintage linens though!










We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed.
As in filling a vessel drop by drop,
there is at last a drop which makes it run over,
so in a series of kindnesses there is at last
one which makes the heart run over.

~Samuel Johnson








Treat your friends like you do your best pictures ...
place them in the best light.

~Unknown












The tastings were great, our picnic was wonderful (It happened to be the nicest day while I was up there housesitting!) but then we were on our dinner quest ... off to sushi at Hakane! It's become a tradition, when I think about it. I don't know if a sake bomb was the best idea but it was sure hilarious. We were all supposed to yell "Sake Bomb" 3 times and hit the table but our friend got so excited she hit the table on the first one and the sakes went flying. Bottoms up!



Cheers ladies!
Thanks for coming!
Love you!!!




Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some stay for a while and leave footprints in our hearts,
and we are never the same.

~Unknown






Don't forget to call your friends and let them know you love them!
Blessings and light!



8 comments:

donna baker said...

So true. So true.

jane said...

looks like you had a wonderful time! so wish we lived closer to one another!
x

rjerdee said...

wonderful times...I enjoyed tagging along :)

Kerry O'Gorman said...

Yes these women friendships are thereputic and healing for sure...nothing like a good weekend with the girls!

Loree said...

I love Goethe's quote and the last one. I find them both to be very true. I have 3 girlfriends that I have known since we were 4. There is a great bond between us and I love being with them. Glad you had such a wonderful time.

Tammie Lee said...

looks like you all know how to have a wonderful time!! wahoo. so fun to see your photos too. i went to a sake tasting recently with sushi to support it. Yum and so interesting to learn about sake.

Cobalt Violet said...

Thanks ladies for the comments. I feel very blessed to have such good friends and in the blogging world too! Wouldn't it be fun to have a blog girls weekend and finally meet everyone?

Candy said...

Lucinda, this looks like a perfect time. I'm glad you didn't give up on trying to get everybody together. Your blog always makes me happy:)