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Suzi Blalock's avatar

My mother's given name was Dorothy, but she was known by most as Dot, and Dottie by some.

Roses were a favorite to receive, yet in memories she is surrounded by azaleas and flowering dogwoods. Once again you prompt memories and offer a space to reflect. Thanks, Jesse.

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Ohhh this so nice, I love the name, Dottie, too. <3 Roses, azaleas, and dogwoods are also favorites. The post I just did I am holding a dogwood in the main photo! A Dogwood for Dottie :)

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Suzi Blalock's avatar

Jesse, she would be pleased and would humbly accept "A Dogwood for Dottie". Thank you for that.

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

:))))) <3 <3<3 <3 Yayy, this makes me happy. Thank you :))

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Anna Ongaro's avatar

Hello Jesse, thank you for this beautiful post. I would choose wild roses and lily of the valley as my mom Maria loved both so much. I miss her always ❤️ and I'm sure she also would have loved all your beautiful photos 🌸🪻🌹🌻🌷💐and your mom's wonderful song Mother Rose🌹 Thank you Jesse and Patti 💞

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Thank you so very much, Anna. This is so beautiful, as are wild roses and lily of the valley, as are you and your words. <3 <3 Sending love

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Anna Ongaro's avatar

I'm touched by your words, Jesse. You are a beautiful flower. Much love to you 💕💕

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Frederic Ward's avatar

The roses for my late mother - Eileen - thank you, Jesse.

🕊️💮🕊️💮✨

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Thank you, too <3 <3 Always, always.

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Camilla's avatar

Thank you Jesse for your loving words and your inspiration to think of any aspect concerning Mother's Day. I'm grateful to be the mother of three wonderful children, who gave me a beautiful Mother's Day. The relationship to my mother was very difficult, and on Mother's Day I often think at a song that always helped me a lot: "This is to mother you" by Sinéad O'Connor ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F4_r1al3YM )

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Lisa A's avatar

Thank you, Jessie. I love a remembrance garden. I will pick the roses for my mom who passed 3 years ago. I miss her everyday. She loved flowers and her property around her home was always impeccably kept. wonderful memories

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Ohh this is so beautiful - what is your mom's name? <3

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Lisa A's avatar

Hey Jesse, My mom's name was Vivian. She cared deeply about the world around her... especially children that were in harms way. She passed on that energy to myself (I was a preschool teacher for 16 years) and my daughters.. one is an advocate for social justice and one who is holistic health practitioner.

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Miriam Wilson's avatar

The picture of the bird bath with flowers reminds me of my grandmother's backyard. We loved going there to visit. Rest in peace grandma!

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Ohhh, that's so beautiful. This was in a temple in Kyoto where we went to visit one of our friends in the cemetery. Was so peaceful and this bird bath was such a special mesmerizing moment, with the reflection in the water. What is your grandmother's name?

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ams's avatar

jesse - thank you for this post - this is my first mother's day without my mom. millie josephine salvatore - my mom - she loved all flowers but she told me gladiolas were her favorite because her father used to give them to her. unfortunately i never got to meet him and she always told me i reminded her of him - so much so that sometimes she would call me "vincenz" - he was vincenzo ernesto passa. millie josephine salvatore - my mom - july 18, 1933 - december 9, 2024

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Sending so much love to you and gladiola thoughts for Millie. <3 This is such a beautiful remembrance, and her birthday soon. Thank you so much for introducing her to us.

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ams's avatar

thank you!

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Rafael Garcia's avatar

Thank you, Jesse for this post.

My mother truly loved flowers. The best times spent with her were always in the yard. Planting a new tree, clipping dead shoots off of her rose bushes, which she loved, or putting mulching down to protect her plants and beautifully decorate her yard. It isn't anything grandiose. But they are my memories. And I cherish those.

I truly appreciate your rose photos.

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

These are such beautiful memories - I could see everything so clearly, reading your words. Thank you so much for sharing this image with us :) What is your mother's name?

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ROCKFOLLIES's avatar

small, powerful and beautiful

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Paul Bendern's avatar

My mom didn't have the paper--no college but she was smart and funny. Whatever sensibility I have, I got from my folks. My mom used to tell me, "Paul, you get all your exercise jumping to conclusions." I love you mommy and I miss you so much.

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Clara Gibson Maxwell's avatar

Hello Jesse from Paris France: this is Clara.Like the gentleman Paul I have been reaching out to you as well. I wish you all the best & love the garden & your activism in NYC to preserve the one in your neighborhood.

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Paul Bendern's avatar

Hi Jesse: i've been trying to reach out to you. I have pictures of your grandmother's house where she spent part of her girlhood here. I knocked on the door and the guy said absolutely! I could take them--and has "Horses" in his record collection. This like 50 years after I sent the picture to Beverly. How can I get them to you if you would like to have them? Your grsndmother told me she used to play right in the front yard. I was born in Bridgeport too. Let me know. Take good care. Paul Bender.

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Fanny's avatar

I'd choose daisies, because of there simplicity. There are the template of the first flowers we draw as children: a yellow heart circled with long petals. My middle name is Gisèle, from my mother's mother, who died a year before I was born. I don't know a lot about her. I think she was a private woman. But my mother recently told me that she was often chosen to be godmother to children and was well loved by her godchildren. I like her name, it sounds soft and caressing.

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Ohhh I love this idea you shared - that they are the 'template of the first flowers we draw as children,' - that is such a sweet thought, that we are all connected by this way of expressing flowers for the first time. Thank you for the beautiful thoughts you shared about Gisèle. This is lovely to think about today, thank you again :)

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Mariuccia's avatar

You are the sweetest. 🤗

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

ahhh <3

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Jamie Reed's avatar

Always a rose on this day for the beautiful Grandmother I never met named Rose Marie, lost to cancer at 46. 50 years ago. I celebrate her every year for giving me my beautiful mother and the potential for my own life. I also pick lilacs for my mother (and always reminisce of the dandelion bouquets I used to pick her)

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Jesse Paris Smith's avatar

Ohhh this is such a powerful way to celebrate and honor her. <3 Thank you for introducing us to Rose Marie, and the image of dandelion bouquets is so comforting and nostalgic. <3 <3 <3 Thank you <3

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Price A.'s avatar

My mother had green thumbs, always cultivating beautiful gardens everywhere we lived. I worked in my yard today, as she would have, cleaning furniture, planting flower boxes. I was visited by four doe, a hummingbird, a pileated woodpecker, someone’s cat, a woodchuck, and an assortment of squirrels and chipmunks. I’m sure she sent them all, particularly the cat. She’s been gone 10 years now but I hear her in my ear frequently giving me her witty and sage advice. Big hugs to you and your dear mother Jesse.

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