Botanica Bonita
I recently realized that getting a new roommate also means getting access to a PC. I decided to download Windows Live Writer last night to see what it’s all about. If all goes well, Bobby won’t be using his computer much at night anymore 
So far, it seems to be much faster!
I will have a much more foodie-ish post later today, but I wanted to share some pictures from my trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens yesterday. It was an absolutely beautiful place! So much to see and do, and even though it was 90* and the humidity made me feel like I was in a hot shower, it was well worth it to see the flowers, fruits and veggies that grow there. (I also got some ideas for a wedding bouquet – more details on the planning so far to come in my next post!)
These were some of my absolute favorite flowers during my time at the gardens.
I think these two were called dahlias. They came in so many different colors and were my ultimate favorite of the group. The deep purple color is what I’m thinking of using for my bridesmaid dresses – what do you think?!
These next two are just me attempting to be artsy I love the yellow/pink/orange colors!
The next one is called a “donkey ear.’” It was really strange – very strong and a little fuzzy. I guess the best way of describing it would be…like a donkey ear. There was also some “Polish Spirit,” which I had to take a picture of since I’ve got 50% Polish spirit running through me.
It was a really great trip! We also saw plenty of rose bushes and a monarch butterfly 
I would love to go back, bring a book and a summery drink, and spend hours there. It was so peaceful. If you’re ever in Chicago, it’s worth the trek north of the city to see it!
I’m going to list out the agenda today to hold myself accountable:
- Laundry!!!
- 3-mile walk/run
- Grocery store
- Watch Tiger win (knock on wood)
- Cook a real dinner!
We’ll see how it goes!
P.S. I can’t believe the difference in time it took me to write this post. I really hope that Windows Live Writer makes a Mac-friendly version, and fast! I’ve tried to use ecto but didn’t really care for it. Using WordPress takes a year compared to this. I’m a fan!
STUNNING!!! And I love how your shirt matches the flowers
Those flowers are beautiful!
I’ve seriously thought about partitioning my mac so that I can use windows live writer!! I bought Ecto and have played around a bit, but I dont love it like WLW. I love the botanic gardens! I grew up going there a few times a year… have a great Sunday dear!!
What beautiful flowers! And I love that deep purple color.
My wedding colors were a soft teal/ robin’s egg blue (David’s Bridal “pool” lol) and a soft chartreuse green and silver as accents. However, if I was planning a wedding now it’d be a deep plum color with accents of champagnes, peaches, soft pinks, soft golds/ yellows, ivories…beautiful! 
Your’s and Bobby’s wedding is going to be gorgeous!!!
O man i totally thought u had it already!! I’ve been obsessed with it since I saw Kath mention it…but ya the mac issue does present a dilemma! I LOVE your flower options and deep purple is completely gorgeous. My mom did my cousin’s flowers for her wedding (bright yellows) and they came out sooooooooooo well, if u lived here I’d totally hook u up
!
I completely think that the summer/fall/spring of cities like Chicago, NY and Boston make up for the frigidness that is winter
I hope you enjoy WLW – I don’t know what I would do without it! The fourth flower is gorgeous!!
I’m not up on all the technology with computers. What is Windows Live Writer, and why/how is it any faster tha using WordPress or Blogspot?
I LOVE that color of purple. Of course, I’m biased because purple happens to be my favorite color, it can do no wrong! It would make a beautiful bridesmaid dress.
Windows Live Writer is awesome! You will love it!
Those flowers look so pretty!!! Hope you have a great sunday
I tried to use windowslivewriter..and perhaps I did something wrong…but to me it wasn’t really faster…so I must haave done somehing wrong lol. I had no idea how to get my pictures so I could drag and drop as people have mentioned!? eek! must figure out! Cute pictures by the way..I love the tiedyed lookin flower; )
Beautiful flowers!!
Oooo wedding details teaser. Dahlias are my second favorite flower, right after Gerbs
And I love the idea of purple bridesmaid dresses, since my bridesmaids wore “lapis” (David’s Bridal’s idea of a darker purple).
I LOVE the deep purple color, that’s what color I want my bridemaid’s dresses to be as well
Windows Live Writer is the s**t! I couldn’t live without it!!
Love the beautiful pictures, and your guns are HOTT! Seriously! You looks fabulous Jenn!!
hurray for cooking up a real din din…watcha guna make?!
Ahhh so pretty
I love pictures of flowers! they are so beautiful!
Isn’t Windows Live Writer the best? I’ve been using it since I started the blog after seeing Kath blog about it. It definitely makes posting A TON easier!
Love the photos of the botanical garden. I just visited the St. Louis Botanical Garden, and it was gorgeous!
Those have got to be the prettiest flowers I have ever seen!!!
I just downloaded WLW myself a few minutes ago!!! I honestly have no idea how it works, but hope it makes the photo downloading part faster. That takes YEARS currently, and it drives me nuts. PS I love the idea deep purple for your colors!! That was the color I wanted (I went with a deep blue only because I couldnt find the dresses I liked in purple)
Also, I’m giving away a SpiBelt (running belt with pouch) on the new blog, in case you are interested!
look at you miss super model — that pic of you and the flowers should be in a mag. for real! gorgeous, lady.. just gorgeous
I grew up working at a florist and I just LOVE flowers. Gorgeous pictures. I love love the deep purple. Hope the real dinner turns out well
Gorgeous flowers!
I love WLW. It makes posting so much faster!
I love the purple dress color! Beautiful pics!
I love that purple shade for dresses!
THOSE OMELETTE’S LOOK SOOOOOO AMAZING. I can’t believe I live in Chicago and have never been to the Botanic Gardens.
Gorgeous flowers!
I’m about to download Ecto for Macs… I’ve heard a rumor that WLW is going to be out for Macs, too…
The flowers are beautiful. I especially love the photos where you were being “artsy”!
I can’t wait to hear all about the wedding planning details. Perhaps I can live veraciously through you as I don’t think I will be doing that sort of planning for quite some time.
I have never tried window live writer as all the computers in my world are macs, but I with you on hoping they release a mac version of WLW soon. As for using ecto and photo sizing, I don’t resize them my images, they upload directly from iphoto as 480 x 360 and I leave them at that. When you uploaded photos were you using iphoto or something else?
So pretty! This is a beautiful place–I might have to go tour it when we come in a few weeks.
I CAN’T wait to hear about your wedding planning so far. And I looove that dark purple color for bridesmaid’s dresses. It would be gorgeous
Those flowers are really cool! I’m diggin purple and yellow for the wedding
Sounds like such a nice day! The flowers are so pretty! Can’t wait to hear more wedding details!
WLW is the shiz. I love that I can save links in it, so that you get auto links in your posts
I didn’t even think about how it isn’t compatible with Mac though – I’m thinking about getting a MacBook, and would obviously want to be able to use it for blogging as well. I guess I could always run parallels on it though.