Valentine’s Day celebrations have come and gone but the memories linger on as gifted chocolates and floral bouquets continue to enchant. Newspapers, blogs and social media all seem to point to red roses as being the most popular gift of choice at this time of the year.

The weathermen tell us that this was the coldest Valentine’s Day in recorded history for the Greater Boston Area. It seems that all the recent reports mentioned “record cold,” the “Artic vortex” or the “Artic blasts.”

However, noted author Nancy Thayer tells us that she has seen daffodils blooming in her neighborhood on the beautiful island of Nantucket! And, we are told that the witch hazels are beginning to bloom at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain.

According to Peony’s Envy Flower Farm, the cold and snow of winter are great for peonies, which actually need the cold to trigger flower formation. They urge us to: “Embrace winter as it leads to wonderful flowers!”

I don’t know about “embracing” winter, but I have to admit I enjoy looking at the birds diving into our snow covered holly bushes still full of red berries to get a bite to eat.

Speaking of birds, I must go fill our feeder. Good thing it’s just outside our kitchen window, so I can do it without having to go outside!