Ah Saint Valentines day Marja-Leena - the day when men are supposed to give flowers, cards and hoards of chocolate to their sweethearts. I too would rather have it as 'Friendship Day.' So, Happy Friendship Day to you! Now, there's another tag on this - the Saint Valentines Day Massacre in 1929. No love lost between Capone & Bugs and history tells us they were not the "best of friends."

However you wish to call the day, I am glad to have an excuse to express my love for friends and loved ones alike. Happy Friendship Day to you, too, dear friend! Thank you for the beautiful, shining heart.

Happy Friendship Day Marja-Leena. This is the best thing yet I've come across yet re February 14th, and I'm celebrating my new blogging friends!

Roger, thank you. Massacres and wars never do stop for St. Valentine, do they? But on this day, I like to think of the good things, our friends and loved ones in our lives. Of course, we do need to think of them every day, not just when the card comapnies tell us to :-)

MB and Tall Girl, my dear blog friends, thank you for being who you are!

An old couple were on the Skytrain this afternoon not too far from me. The man told another passenger of his experiences in the war, living in England, France and Belgium, though not fighting on the front lines, I don't think. He was thankful for having gotten married here. When we left the train, I wished them a Happy Valentine's Day, and he said, "Oh is that what it is today?" and we laughed. He said something about a good/big heart. They made my day!

Erika, what a touching story!

Thanks, it sure is!

Friendship is so much less entrancing and so much harder work to maintain than most people's idea of romantic love (judging by the divorce rate), I doubt that Americans would ever countenance a Halmarky holiday for it.

Dave, you think friendship is harder to maintain than marriage?! I'm a little confused by your statement... Finland will remain unique with their holiday, I suppose, though I think they've caught on to the business of selling a lot of cards and flowers too.

I made a tasty but informal dinner, eaten at the coffee table with 3 candles, while watching the hockey game (which we won). Without any discussion beforehand, neither of us intended or wanted or needed to buy any chocolates, cards or roses. Last year (our first), that was fine, but this year all we needed was the exchange of words and a cuddle. After all, "can't buy me love!"

Hallo from Australia. I found you via Box Elder and am so glad I did. I heartily agree about Valentine day! This year we made each other a little gift of our love. I awoke to find a large hand cut heart on the side of my studio ( being built) and I made a tiny set of drawers enclosing found objects, for him.

Herhimbryn, welcome! I've seen you over at a couple of blogs, and saw your fabulous Valentine moon on yours. Sounds like you've had a sweet Valentine's! The personal, the homemade is a wonderful gift.

Marja-leena, thank you for the very nice comments on my blog. I am so happy to learn that you have been a recent visitor. I love your blog and pop in quite often. I think a Friendship Day is a wonderful holiday and believe that it would catch on like wildfire in the States - and will be as over-commercialized as all our other holidays!

Thank you for the heart and the words, Marja-Leena - I'm late to the party but not to our friendship, I hope!

Loretta, welcome! And thank you for your nice comments. I look forward to more visits back and forth.

Beth, never too late, thanks so much!

Oh, I'm behind in all my blog reading. Happy Belated Friendship Day! Sounds like a lovely idea to me.

Hi Leslee, glad you like the idea of Friendship Day. I'm behind my blog reading too. When it rains, it pours - my life is usually quiet but when things happen they come all at once.

What a fabulous man!!!
Is he married???
Thank you for the lovely link to inspire me for a day's studies

Hi Mouse! Isn't he wonderful!? With your passionate interest in languages, including Finnish, you'd make a great match!

Very late but not wanting to be left out! Love and friendship to you, and happy to see the prints are taking shape now. hearts and flowers!

Lucy, thank you very much for the love, friendship, hearts and flowers - so wonderful to have found you!
Good night!