ladies love love

 a bunch of merry girls got together the last weekend of april for our friend carolann's bachelorette slumber party camp-out. it was quite a whirlwind of bright activity.

these first few photos and many others scattered throughout this post were taken by carina, farmer extraordinaire and co-planner of the weekend's many delights.

i love being around another camera lady!

 upon my arrival, my girl suzanne greets the new little friend.

carolann herself, 

the woman of the hour, starting the weekend off right!

we camped down in coloma right by the river in a lodge room with 20 bunkbeds. it was like the jolliest girls' camp ever. doniella and carina had brought flowers, vintage sheets for tablecloths, ice chests full of fancy cheeses, snacks, champagne, fruit, and other delectables.

our whole group, filled with such talented ladies, chefs and scientists and socialists and activists and bookworms. that's kristen, kaitlyn,doniella, suzanne, carolann, sarah, rebecca, carina, and me, with beatrice in front.

smelling lilacs along the way....

here's where we stayed:

taking off on a hilly poppy-strewn hike up mt murphy a little ways to a waterfall.

carolann's dream date....a hike and riverside hangout with her ladies.

encountered this big cutie in the path on the way home. carina and i were hiking in front, deep in conversation about pregnancy and babies, when she suddenly spotted him and stopped us quick, and he just hovered here, waiting silently and cautiously and allowing us to admire him.

back at camp, nothing refreshes like a big bowl of perfect guacamole, and a cute vintage dress to match :)

we played a little guessing game about carolann and ezra's courtship. it was really fun and got us talking about all sorts of interesting topics ;)

c.a. opens her first bottle of champagne.....

to drink from her special bride's goblet.

then we all took off to go wine tasting at david girard vineyard.

i think we may have overwhelmed them just a tad!

the girls bought some wine so we could all sit outside and talk more. addie showed up to meet us here!

 as much as my friends wanted to feel my baby move ALL DAY, she was quiet as soon as someone put their hand on me. even the patient ones, like rebecca here, who kept her hand there for a good twenty minutes. it's like she goes to sleep as soon as someone is touching her. but wowzee, she starts getting going when i'm asleep!

back at camp we got out the crafting supplies to work on a scrapbook for carolann. looking through photos and mementos of her memories with all her lady friends was SO FUN. i am a bigtime scrapbooker fan; i love collections of memories, which explains this little old blog here :)

carina scraps!

meanwhile some of the great chefs among us worked on cooking up a feast of grilled veggies, homemade polenta, vegan chili and all the fixins....mmmmmmmmmmm.

another old friend, mary, shows up for the eve. we all used to be absolutely inseparable! we have busy lives now, mary is a mama to an adorable little boy named yarrow and runs a farm with her husband ben. but when we get together it is still as fun and magical as ever.

also.....HOORAY.....she is pregnant again with her second child, due in october. our babies can be besties!

we went to the coloma club...a real old-timey wooden roadhouse country bar which i've posted about before. they were having karaoke night and the mood was quite festive!

even mellow mama mary got super into playing pool and later, dancing. it was like old times!

now i just can't wait to get back together with this amazing group of women for carolann's wedding weekend at a magical gathering place in the forest first weekend of june.... called LOVECAMP 2012!