A “most entertaining diversion”

Saturday, February 11 from 1:30 – 2:45, there will be a program at the Bayless-Selby House Museum, in the Historical Park of Denton County, 317 West Mulberry, that may ignite a spark for the imagination to find a gift for your Valentine that may be different from any other.  Different because the progam will be in the form of show-and-tell. 

The “show” part will be those cards that are on exhibit, or able to be shown in some other media.  The “tell” part will happen when the walls talk about Valentines from a century or more ago. The museum’s exhibit shows examples of the cards of all kinds of designs, the lace work and cut-outs, pin pricks, and overlays. 

Romance was in the air with all those hearts and flowers and cupids, of course.  But how did Valentine’s Day get its name?  When?  How did folks in Denton celebrate this most romantic of days a century ago?  Or did they?  How did the merchants capture the imagination? 

There are stories to tell about the colors of all those flowers on the cards as well.  Previous programs in the museum have told a little about the language of flowers, and the Victorians’ love for codes.  Maybe we shall be able to find a few more secrets hidden there.  Let’s try to decipher some of those cards and find out what they might really say, shall we?

Of course, you won’t forget to buy the roses, and you may still decide to buy that obligatory card.  But then again, you may not.  You may decide to pick up your pen, and who knows, the traces on a hand-picked page may turn out to be poetry.  Wouldn’t that be something that may stay with you a few days longer than a rose? 

Indeed, it may be a “most entertaining diversion,” to borrow a phrase from Ruth Webb Lee, who described her writing about Valentines as just such a diversion from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

The program is part of the Victorian Home Series, there will be $5 admission, and seating is limited, so reservations are suggested. For further information, call 940.349.2865.