Spring has finally arrived in Chicago!  The South Loop looked perfect today with the sun shining on brick buildings on Printer's Row.   Sadly, I didn't have my camera on me!  So I decided that today would be a perfect date to debut pictures from when the Boy and I started dating.  Looking back, that summer went by so fast - but summer romances always make summers go by too fast, no?

<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0111.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-345" title="IMG_0111" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0111.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a>
<p style="text-align:left;">On the swan boat rides at the <a href="http://www.lpzoo.org/">Lincoln Park Zoo</a>, a small urban zoo in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.  During the summer months, you can hear the lion roar almost three blocks away and all year the hyenas bay when they hear passing car horns.  The LP Zoo has an astounding collection of monkeys and there seem to be several births every year!</p>
<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0113.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-346" title="IMG_0113" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0113.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="527" /></a>

<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0114.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-347" title="IMG_0114" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0114.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a>
<p style="text-align:left;">I like to growl at the camera and I am building quite a collection of these photos.  That lovely purse is from my mother and I wish the strap hadn't torn - it was so <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058329/">Marnie</a>!</p>
<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0115.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-348" title="IMG_0115" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0115.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a>

<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0116.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-349" title="IMG_0116" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0116.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="800" /></a>
<p style="text-align:center;">I'm surprised that we started matching our outfits this early in the relationship:)</p>
<a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0117.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-350" title="IMG_0117" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0117.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a>
<p style="text-align:center;">Flamingos are a favorite - I wish I had an article of clothing with their gorgeous pink color.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0118.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351" title="IMG_0118" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0118.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0119.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352" title="IMG_0119" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_0119.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="504" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_01201.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-353" title="IMG_0120" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_01201.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;">We weren't the only ones soaking up the sunshine.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_01221.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-354" title="IMG_0122" src="http://ionlyweardresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_01221.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Happiness is the summer time.</p>
For all you summer babies, from <strong>Emily Dickson</strong>:

<em>A something in a summer's day,
As sIow her flambeaux burn away,
Which solemnizes me.</em>

<em>A something in a summer's noon, --
An azure depth, a wordless tune,
Transcending ecstasy.</em>

<em>And still within a summer's night
A something so transporting bright,
I clap my hands to see;</em>

<em>Then veil my too inspecting face,
Lest such a subtle, shimmering grace
Flutter too far for me.</em>

<em>The wizard-fingers never rest,
The purple brook within the breast
Still chafes its narrow bed;</em>

<em>Still rears the East her amber flag,
Guides still the sun along the crag
His caravan of red,</em>

<em>Like flowers that heard the tale of dews,
But never deemed the dripping prize
Awaited their low brows;</em>

<em>Or bees, that thought the summer's name
Some rumor of delirium
No summer could for them;</em>

<em>Or Arctic creature, dimly stirred
By tropic hint, -- some travelled bird
Imported to the wood;</em>

<em>Or wind's bright signal to the ear,
Making that homely and severe,
Contented, known, before</em>

<em>The heaven unexpected came,
To lives that thought their worshipping
A too presumptuous psalm.</em>