This space, “galanthusjean”, is an attempt to capture what my Mom was all about. Who better than the people that knew her to share a conversation, moment, or thoughts on their friendship that helps to connect the dots.
Jean was, and is in the hearts of those who knew her, so many things. She cared about and loved everyone in her life, whether is was family, friend, or the menagerie at home – including the often riotous parade of birds at the feeder. Jean was a lover of plants and of coaxing them to grow. She had perfected the art of nuturing both plants and people by finding out what they liked and what they needed to flourish. She was also a cultivator of ideas, scouring the newspapers every morning, getting out and about to events or parties to see as many people as possible and find out what was new and exciting in their lives.
As someone who knew Jean recently wrote: “She was someone to emulate – kind, learned, funny and in love with life.”
Above all else, she was my mother – precious and irreplaceable.
galanthusjean 
I think of Jean often and in recent months have found myself speaking of her on many occasions. I am thinking of her today because it is her birthday. In recent years since we were both retired, I was able to take her to lunch to celebrate the occasion, and we enjoyed this get-together very much to break up a usually-drab winter spell. She is still in my thoughts, and today I will drink a little toast to her and our past fun times together.
Thank you so much Joan! I also drank a toast to my Mom on Saturday, and had a piece of cake from her favourite food group – chocolate!
Still missing Jean very much – yesterday was her birthday and we celebrated with lunch in recent years. She is still in my thoughts in many instances with her contributions to the art world, and her long friendship with me since the ’60’s.
Joan Nicol