Welcome and Happy Valentine's Day!

On Valentine's Day, at least 3 million Roses will be sold!

Roses....the Flower of Love
Roses are among the oldest of cultivated flowers,
going back 5,000 years to gardens in Asia.

Greek mythology claims the goddess Chloris came upon a
beautiful dead nymph and turned her into a flower.
Aphrodite added beauty, the Three Graces added
brilliance, joy and charm. Dionysious donated
fragrant nectar; Zephyrus the westwind blew away the
clouds so that Apollo could shower the Rose in sun.
Then the flower was given to Eros, the diety of Love,
and named it the "Queen of Flowers"

Rose colors and their meanings...
Red and white together means Unity
Pink means Grace and Gentility
Yellow means Joy
Orange or Coral Roses speak of Desire
Burgundy compliments Unconscious Beauty
A single Rose means Simplicity

She walks in Beauty
Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night,
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
This mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Were thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
William Butler Yeats

Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim of the dark cloths
of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet;
But I being poor have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.

How do I Love Thee?
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
for the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use,
In my old greifs, and with my childhood faith.
I love thee with a love I seem to lose
With my lost saints-I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!
- and, if God choose,
I shall love thee better after death.