Flowers

Grandson finds long-lost wedding ring

Shelby, Mont. -- A Montana woman said her grandson found the wedding ring she lost in her garden eight years ago and surprised her with it for her birthday.

Norma Welker of Shelby said she lost the ring while arranging flowers in her backyard garden eight years ago and this year she asked her grandson to till the soil so she could plant grass, the Great Falls Tribune reported Thursday.

Grandson Nick Welker said he found the ring in the yard and went first to his parents, who confirmed it was Norma Welker's lost wedding ring.

The family said they had the ring cleaned and presented it to Welker at her 80th birthday party.

"I really couldn't believe it," Norma Welker said. "It just seemed like it was so impossible."

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Chinese Web site: Don't flaunt your love

Beijing -- Forget the hearts and flowers and keep your love-happy selves to yourself, says a Chinese Web site whose founders oppose Chinese Valentine's Day.

The site went online Monday ahead of the Aug. 16 Chinese Valentine's Day, or Qixi Festival, China Daily reported.

"Qixi Festival is approaching," the site says. "Lovers, could you please not show off your happiness? There are single people. Could you please be considerate to them?"

An organizer told China Daily that she is tired of hearing about the festival, so she asked Web users to protest.

Some expressed anger over lovers and proposed ways to split up couples such as walking between hand-holding couples in the streets.

Most flowers give bees Velcro-like support

Cambridge -- Tiny pyramid-shaped cells found on 80 percent of flowers provide a Velcro-like surface on which bees hook their feet, British scientists reported Friday.

The conical cells make it easier for bees to climb about, especially in rough weather, said Beverly Glover, a Cambridge University researcher and lead author of the study reported in Current Biology.

"For bees to maintain their balance and hold on to a flower is no easy task, especially in windy or wet conditions," Glover said. "It's great to see that evolution has come up with the simple solution of equipping flowers with a Velcro-like surface that bees can get a grip on.

Flowers and food for dear Valentine!

New York, February 14: Cupid is in the air. Alas! So are recession and the resultant frugality. According to estimates given by the National Retail Federation of America, consumers will, on average, spend $20.00 less than last year on valentines.