Ever wonder where Valentine's started and how it turned into the event it has? Here's a little background.
Valentine's Day (February 14) is observed worldwide as a day set aside to observe love and devotion. This isn't just another Hallmark holiday. It is the second most celebrated holiday in the world (New Year's Day is #1). In fact, Valentine's Day goes back quite a ways - to the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as a day to honor St. Valentine (A real person! Actually, there are several saints named Valentine - possibly as many as 11).
In classrooms around the country, countless children in elementary school will exchange Valentine's cards. It's estimated that more than 250 million roses are grown for Valentine's Day. Even with all those roses, Valentine's Day is only the 2nd largest day for fresh floral and plant purchases, behind Christmas/Chanukah. It is the #1 day for the number of fresh flower purchases, though.
Giving cards and flowers for Valentine's both date back to the 1700's as a way to express your love for another. Some of the popular flowers and their significance, to help you decide which ones fit for your relationship -
On average, the time between an engagement and the wedding is about 
The southern suburbs of St. Paul/Minneapolis got 12-14" of fresh snow over the Christmas holidays, along with a little rain and sleet on Christmas Day, transforming our yards into new landscapes. I always enjoy looking at how a yard looks at different times of the year - how the light falls, what shapes are evident, what colors dominate and what activities are taking place. When you looked out your window this week, what did you see?