Flu (or a bad cold?) and work have kept me from posting, but for Valentine’s Day I offer up a plea to owners of those special cats who enjoy munching on bouquets. Keep the florist’s flowers away from the kitties. Even if you’re sure you have all non-toxic varieties, they could be coated in pesticides. Some quotes from Amy Stewart’s book Flower Confidential: “unlike fruits and vegetables, flowers are not tested for illegal pesticide residue. After all, they’re not going to be eaten. That creates a situation in which growers have an incentive to use the maximum amount of pesticides to eliminate the possibility of a single gnat turning up in a box.” Stewart witnessed bunches of roses being “dipped, blossom first, into a barrel of fungicide to prevent botrytis.” There’s also an AP article circulating about this issue.