While we are all waiting, waiting, waiting for the royal baby to be born, Ms. Jeannie has been anticipating her own little bundle of joy…
The first ripe tomato of the season! Ms. Jeannie marked this occasion on Friday when she plucked the little darling in anticipation of including it in Friday night’s dinner.
Only she had one slight problem. It looked so pretty on the vine, but when she pulled it, the other side looked like somebody kicked it in the gut. Ms. Jeannie forgot to take a picture before she cut it open to see what was going on inside, but imagine a blister-like opening puncture type wound about the size of a dime. Not exactly the look she was hoping for!
At first Ms. Jeannie thought it might have been caused by rubbing due to the high wind and rainstorms this past weekend. But then on the underside of the green tomato above it she saw one of these…
A stink bug! Photo courtesy of nopests.com
Stink bugs are nutrient suckers and affect a wide variety of agricultural plants. Native to Japan and Korea, they were first introduced into the US via Pennsylvania in the late 1990’s. They are considered a pest because they are immune to a lot of insecticides and pesticides.
Being a natural/organic gardener, there is not much Ms. Jeannie can do about them, except pick off the ones she sees and hope that there aren’t a mass of them. Birds are one predator to the stink bug though, which she has plenty of in her garden, so she hopes they’ll find these little guys delectable.
Pill bugs are also taking up residence at the base of Ms. Jeannie’s Gerber daisies which is also the same pot shared by her herb garden. At first glance – everything is growing right along – the dill is getting tall, the basil is filling out, the chives are fattening up and the daisies add a sunny bit of color.
But on closer look in the daisy leaves, there’s a whole city full of these guys…
Pillbugs! They feed on dead and decaying plant matter, so they aren’t really a big threat. But Ms. Jeannie really wished they fed on slugs who also love the Gerber daisies, and unfortunately, are starting to discover her basil leaves. After careful checking today, she thinks she’s removed all the slugs but more rain is scheduled for this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow so we’ll see if more are coming.
If you’ve been keeping up with Ms. Jeannie on twitter, you’ll recognize this other bug sighting that she discovered last week in the flooding of the creek. At the base of some rotting log stumps she saw these extraordinary things…
Ms. Jeannie thought at first glance that they were old porcelain doorknobs buried in the dirt, which would not be all that uncommon a find here in Ms. Jeannie’s area (more on dirt discoveries another day!). But in actuality, they are giant Eastern Hercules beetle larvae. And giant they definitely are! Each one of these guys here was about the size of a large shrimp. Eventually they will look like this…
Female Hercules beetleMale Hecules beetle. Photo courtesy of fcps.edu
These are the largest beetles found in the US and are just a slightly smaller version of the Hercules beetle native to central and South America, which can grow to be 6 inches long. These beetles prefer rain-forest type conditions – and since it has been so rainy here – Ms. Jeannie can understand why they like her yard!
They feed off the forest floor eating, rotten wood and the like, so they are good groundskeepers, if not intimidating:) They are also considered the strongest animal in the world – with the ability to lift 850 times their own body weight. Amazing!
And last but not least, down in Hercules land, the creek is also now aflight and flutter with hundreds of damselflies.
Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, which are one of the oldest insects known to man. Both damselflies and dragonflies prefer wet environments where they can lay eggs in water. Love is definitely in there air at Ms. Jeannie’s. Did you know that when two damselflies mate their bodies form the shape of a heart? See for yourself…
Ms. Jeannie just loves that about nature. Just when you think you can’t stand one more monotonous day of dark, gloomy, wet weather – just when you think you’ve seen all the same rain drops day after day – Mother Nature surprises you with a few new interesting sights. It keeps you captivated instead of going crazy, which Ms. Jeannie fully appreciates. And now, as the rain clouds roll in, yet again, Ms. Jeannie wonders what Mother Nature just might have up her sleeve next. Stay tuned here on the blog and also on twitter for more discoveries…
If you remember from the last post, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers was the book written by Christopher Cokinos that inspired the artistry of Todd McGrain. Ms. Jeannie just realized that the title came from a poem by this woman…
Do you recognize her?
Emily Dickinson. She wrote the poem in 1861 at the age of 31.
Here it is in full:
Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune–without the words, And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land, And on the strangest sea; Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.
– Emily Dickinson
It was written during the time in her life where Emily was just beginning to withdraw from public life. She spent her days at home, her birthplace, the Homestead house in Amherst, MA surrounded by family and a few close friends.
Emily Dickinson’s Homestead in Amhearst, MA
The house sat on 14 acres and was surrounded by trees and gardens where Emily drew inspiration for her poetry and writings. There were plentiful garden beds where she would watch the birds dive and dart – the notions and assimilations fluttering about her mind.
It’s wonderful to think that Emily’s writing is still cause for inspiration over 150 years later and for such a noble book and equally noble art project as commemorating the lost birds of America. Here she was, a reclusive soul, interpreting the world how she saw it by putting thoughts to paper in Victorian era America, and now, free like all birds are, her words have taken flight to protect the very subjects she so admired. Ms. Jeannie just loves this. How one bit of creativity can spark another. You just never know how your words can affect others – so pick good ones, dear readers – they might just bloom into something extraordinary when you are least expecting it:)
The other night, Ms. Jeannie watched a documentary and fell in love with big birds. Five in particular. This is one of them…
The documentary was called The Lost Bird Project and was about an artist who set out to memorialize five birds that are now extinct from our environment.
Inspired, after reading the book, Hope Is The Thing With Feathers (great title!) by Christopher Cokinos, sculptor Todd McGrain built man-size sculptures of five particular birds that are no longer living in the natural world. He wanted the birds to be not only memorials for something now lost, but also educational pieces that would make people pause and reflect about their own individual roles in the hands of nature.
The five birds he chose were:
The Carolina Parakeet, extinct since 1918, was highly sought after by the millinery industry for their bright feathers. This statue was placed at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Okeechobee, FL. Photo courtesy of lostbirdfilm.orgCarolina Parakeet. Photo courtesy of extinct-website.com.The passenger pigeon, extinct by 1914, saw its main decline due to hunting. This statue was placed at Grange Audubon Center in Columbus, Ohio. Photo courtesy of lostbirdfilm.orgPassenger Pigeons. Photo courtesy of rareprintsgallery.comThe Heath Hen, extinct since 1932 due to hunting, predators and development was last seen in the wild on Martha’s Vineyard. The last one living by himself on the Vineyard for years, constantly called for mates with no replies. This statue was placed in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest in Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Photo courtesy of lostbirdfilm.orgHeath Hen. Photo courtesy of nhptv.orgThe Labrador Duck, extinct since 1878, was most likely demolished by a lack of food supply due to coastal industry expansion. This statue was placed at Brand Park in Elmira, New York. Photo courtesy of lostbirdfilm.org.Labrador Ducks. Photo courtesy of mcq.orgThe Great Auk has been extinct since 1844. Ever present seabirds, they mated for life and found refuge in rocky terrains off coastal waterways. Their greatest predator was man who would use them for food source, oil and feathers. This statue was placed at Joe Batt’s Point at Fogo Island in Newfoundland. Photo courtesy of lostbirdfilm.orgThe Great Auk. Photo courtesy of itsnature.org
The documentary presents a wonderful arc of a story from creation of the sculptures through dealing with the bureaucratic red tape of state “gifting” to seeing the sculptures placed in the areas intended by the artist (where the real birds were actually last seen).
Compelling, doesn’t begin to describe the subject matter and at the heart of the story is one man’s quest for genuine expression. It is humble. It is grand. It is remarkable. And it makes you think about nature around us… the common sights and sounds we live with everyday… and all that we might just be taking for granted.
Here’s a trailer for the documentary…
If you’d like to find out more about the project and the artist , visit the film website here. If you happen to live near or have been to see any of the bird statues, please comment below with your thoughts – Ms. Jeannie would love to hear.
****** UPDATE – MAY 8, 2017 ****
The Passenger Pigeon – a Lost Bird Project sculpture was spotted in the gardens of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.!
It’s a gusher around here! 7.5″ inches of rain in 3 days.
Just about everything seems waterlogged. The grass is spongy, the first figs showed up fat and bloated, the creek overflowed and flooded the banks. Goodness gracious, what would Aunt Lorraine think?
Aunt Lorraine? But who is that again, Ms. Jeannie?
Well my dears, Aunt Lorraine is that lovely, thoughtful woman that gave young Burt that wonderful gift of a book called Storms: Their Origins And Effects, back in 1966.
Vintage 1966 Children’s Book available in Ms. Jeannie’s shop. Click for more info.
In her inscription, she wrote the following:
Dear Burt: I hope you don’t find this book “too childish” – I still enjoy studying it. Hope you have a nice birthday. Love Aunt Lorraine.
She pasted her note into the book on lined notebook paper.
In honor of the Aunt Lorraines of the world – who enjoy a good storm and see in them, the joy that they can bring to others, Ms. Jeannie is hosting a two day storm sale in her shop. Now through Tuesday evening take an additional 25% of all items using coupon code: STORMY upon checkout.
Happy (post) 4th of July! It was a rainy one here in Ms. Jeannie’s neck of the woods, so instead of traditional fireworks, she and Mr. Jeannie watched fireflies, grilled in the rain and made frozen lemon mousse for dessert (recipes coming soon!). It was a magnificently delicious day.
It has been so stormy here for the past week, but luckily, this afternoon, there was a brief break in the clouds and the sun appeared for a little bit. And do you know what , dear readers? No one seemed more excited about this occurrence than the birds, whom immediately took to the birdbath. This seemed sort of ironic to Ms. Jeannie – but who is she really, to question the bathing habits of her feathered friends.
Anyway, it was a bevy of activity. A veritable line up of birds, waiting patiently to get in. Some opted for a full fledged bath…
CardinalBrown ThrasherSparrow
While another bird just opted just to get his feet wet and wade about…
Mockingbird
Mockingbird was making a big production of his pool time. The others were in and out in a flash…
In, Dunk, Shake, Out.
But that Mockingbird, he just wanted to take his time.
Sort of la-de-dah-ing away the afternoon.
The other birds thought they could share the pool – but Mockingbird would have none of it. “Wait your turn,” he said.
I’m not done yet.
But Mother Nature knew how to reprimand his inability to share, for as soon as he chased Brown Thrasher away, the sun disappered, the thunder rumbled and the rain came down again…
Bath time’s over. The pool is closed.
Now Mockingbird is nowhere to be seen. But you can bet he’s close by. Ms. Jeannie is just sure that he’ll be the first one pack in the pool once the sky clears again:)
On another bird front…Ms. Jeannie is pleased to announce that she has joined the great big blue bird’s nest on the internet…Twitter!
She’s not quite sure how to use it all yet – but she’ll get there eventually. You can keep up with her here if you are around the neighborhood. She looks forward to expanding her horizons and reading all that you post. So of course, if you are on Twitter as well, please let Ms. Jeannie know so that she can follow along with you.
As a testament to Harrison Ford’s acting abilities, we are all familiar with the face of Indiana Jones…
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Photo via pinterest.
He captivated audiences in four Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark – 1981, Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom – 1984, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – 1989, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – 2008 and now there are rumors that he’ll be starring in a fifth Indiana Jones movie at some point in the near future. That’s one impressive character career!
But did you know that the real inspiration for Indiana Jones looked like this…
Roy Chapman Andrews (1884-1960)
Meet Roy Chapman Andrews – a Wisconsin-born naturalist, explorer, taxidermist and all around adventurer. Ms. Jeannie first became familiar with him, when she listed this book in her Etsy shop…
All About Dinosaurs – published in 1953 – by Roy Chapman Andrews
At first glance it looks like a beautifully illustrated children’s book about the rise and fall of dinosaurs – but in actuality, this book is so much more – it’s part memoir, part textbook, part field guide to Andrew’s firsthand experiences unearthing dinosaurs in Mongolia and the Gobi dessert in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Roy Chapman Andrews. Photo courtesy of reocities.com
Written in 1953, after he had retired as the Director of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Andrews set about recording his adventures. This book in particular, was geared towards children in hopes of inspiring future generations of scientists. And Andrews had a lot to share with his young audience.
Credited with bringing back the first known fossil dinosaur eggs to the Museum, from an expedition he led in the Gobi Desert, Andrews believed in his natural instincts when few others did.
Andrews and the soon to be famous fossilized eggs found in the Gobi Desert in 1931. Photo courtesy of mongoliatravels.comHere they are on display at the museum. Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.
In true pioneering style, Andrews led teams of scientists into the uncharted shifting desert sands via automobile and camel in the 1920’s. Industry professionals doubted his abilities, doubted his hypothesis’ and frankly, doubted his mindset.
Mongolia was off the radar. How could anything scientific be uncovered in a sandy landscape that was constantly windswept, arid and blazing in temperature? Plus there were warring tribes, logistical difficulties and governmental red tape to overcome. Now, does that sound like a task for Indiana Jones or what?
Andrew’s camp-site in the Mongolian desert. Definietly a cinematic site! Photocourtesy of mongoliantravels.com
Andrews wasn’t intimated by any of these challenges. He was confident in his own abilities and that of his team and was certain that they would find something out there in the sand. And of course, with the dinosaur eggs, later with other fossils, he did. And of course, he returned to the States with fanfare and celebration and new celebrity status.
The accessories of an exotic explorer – a camel, binoculars and a foreign guide! Photo courtesy of mongoliantravels.com
Andrews worked on excavations in the Gobi Desert until 1930 when both political roadblocks and the Great Depression stymied the project. He returned to New York as a larger than life figure where fans waited with baited breath to hear about all of his exotic tales. Four years later he became director of the American Museum of Natural History, which now holds the largest collection of fossil amphibians, reptiles and birds in the world. In 1942, he retired to Carmel, California to set pen to paper and record the first-hand accounts of a lifetime spent studying his passion.
Not a bad lesson to teach children. Believe in yourself and your abilities, set your mind to task and you’ll have nothing standing in your way.
SPECIAL NOTE: While Ms. Jeannie was preparing this blog post, her All About Dinosaurs book sold. It was purchased as a birthday present for a 10 year old boy named Finley. Ms. Jeannie hopes you will all join her, dear blog readers, in wishing Finley a most happy birthday. And to Finley – may this year be full of thrilling adventures and daring discoveries:)
“Always there has been an adventure just around the corner–and the world is still full of corners.”– Roy Chapman Andrews
There’s no doubt dear readers, that you are still reeling (perhaps even still reading!) Ms. Jeannie’s EPIC long Mad Men post, so today she’ll keep it short and sweet.
A celebration is occurring, as today marks Ms. Jeannie’s 100th blog post! This image below is a compilation of over 40 images from previous posts that have made up the varied subject matter of Ms. Jeannie’s blog dating all the way back to the very first day – February 27th, 2012. What a time, Ms. Jeannie has had:)
A special milestone!
To mark this special day, Ms. Jeannie thought it would be fun to share some unique sightings that she has seen lately around her yard and garden.
A pair of red-tailed hawks.
Hawks are solitary birds, so to see two together is quite unusual. Normally sightings like this occur only in the spring when they are mating – but since we are now well into summer, Ms. Jeannie likes to think that these two sweethearts are so in love they can’t stand the thought of parting. Either that, or they are on extended honeymoon. These two were seen this morning hanging out on the branches of the dead tree towards the back of the yard. It stands right next to the gumball tree that Ms. Jeannie blogged about back in February.
Butterfly sighting!
Could this be one of the butterflies that was born in Ms. Jeannie’s parsley patch? Hmmm…this delicate one was floating just outside of Ms. Jeannie’s window the other day.
Storm Clouds
Storm clouds bathed everything in a wonderful peach colored glow as tornado watches and warnings swept through the area last week. These skies reminded Ms. Jeannie of the burning of Atlanta scene in Gone With the Wind.
Satchmo
Ms. Jeannie’s kitty Satchem, (or Satchmo as Ms. Jeannie likes to call her) thinks the entire world is one big drinking fountain. Here she is taking a sip from the puddles on the driveway:)
Oh my!
These are pictures of a four foot (4 FEET!) long Black snake that was seen crossing the driveway in route to the garden rockery! Holy toledo! This is a prime walking path for Ms. Jeannie in her bare feet. It’s now rubber boots (tall ones!) for her for the rest of the summer. This snake here might be the owner of the snake skin Ms. Jeannie blogged about last September.
And last, but certainly not least, last night Ms. Jeannie discovered two otters playing the creek that runs along the very back of the property line. Wild otters! It’s like a zoo in her own backyard. She discovered these guys last night at 8:30pm when she was taking a little walk after dinner. She had her camera – but again, like the butterflies, you have to be quick and it was almost dark so all she got was this grainy little picture.
Wild otter sighting!
This is what the creek looks like by day.
It would be a pretty nice home for an otter!This is the spot (by day) where the otter was seen. Even in the daylight it is still a littl dark.
Ms. Jeannie plans to go down there tonight at the same time as last night to see if they are back – she’s hoping they’ll stick around for the summer so keep your fingers crossed!
And a big THANK YOU to you, dear readers, for sharing in Ms. Jeannie’s interests with all your thoughtful comments and contributions over these past 100 posts. She looks forward to 100 more and then another 100 after that:)
If you haven’t yet had the chance to watch the season finale of Mad Men, which aired this past Sunday – you may want to skip this post and catch up on some previous Mad Men posts, here and here. Ms. Jeannie would hate to spoil anything for you.
Since you are still reading, we’ll assume you’ve watched and no doubt have some opinions about the last show of the season as well as general thoughts and speculations of what could happen next year on the show. Ms. Jeannie has her theories also. She thought it would be fun to ask a few Mad Men fans about their thoughts and reactions to the most talked about episode of the season.
The Power of Persuasion, Don Draper Mad Men Art Print by GalleryArtLife (click for more info)
To get started, Victor from GalleryArtLife in British Columbia recaps the character of Don Draper …
“I did enjoy this season…started slowly but had a tumultuous ending. A question was posed with regards to Don’s life and what is the truth about it. Don was raised from childhood on the farm, went through the Depression and WW2 on the farm, had photos of Adam and himself on the farm. When the Korean war arrived Don left his life on the farm and went to war, he even accompanied the coffin back to the town where his family received it. In the last episode of this season we are shown an early teen Don living in a brothel. Later in the episode he returns to the run-down brothel and proclaims to his children that THIS was his home. It will be very interesting next season to find out how all the loose ends are tied up. Never a dull moment.”
Final Scene of Mad Men Season 6. Photo via pinterest.
Ms. Jeannie agrees with Victor – this final scene of Don introducing his children to his past life was powerful and telling. Building viewers up for next season, Ms. Jeannie hopes that Don will, perhaps, finally be able to confront his past so that he can actually leave it in the past and move on to a more authentic life. The trick here will be if Don will be able to figure out his own “real” self since he has been touting another identity for years. In this season, we heard Don say a lot of “this is not what I want” or “this is not how it should go” which could be signs that the genuine hairs of his own philosophies are just starting to tickle underneath his skin.
Mad Men Illustration Print by TuttiConfetti (click for more info)
Maruta from TuttiConfetti in Spain tackles the complex issues Don had to face in this season…
I have been requested to write about Mad Men season 6 not even 24 hours after I watched the last episode and believe me, it’s not easy. Every time a Mad Men season ends, I need some time to process everything I have seen during the 13 episodes and I must learn to live without all those characters in my life. Today my mind goes over and over to the last scene. That look between Sally and Don, so many things were said without any word…
If I had to define this season I would choose the word INTENSE. Probably it has not been as nice as others, but in my opinion it is one of the best. This time Don and his internal fights are the absolute center of the series Everything turns around him. Maybe there are other stories, but they are all minor if you compare to his. I have never seen a Don so tortured, so unhappy, so down as in this season. He cannot reach happiness and it seems he is not willing others to reach it. He is obsessed with his neighbor, unable to love his children as he should, unable to love Megan as she deserves. Completely alcoholic he takes decisions that affect the company and people around him in a bad way.And what to say about Sally? His father suddenly becomes a villain after all that time being a hero.
And then it comes the last episode and you don’t know what to expect. You have started to hate Don and suddenly, there is some light, there is a blue sky and the Don we all knew from other seasons comes out. He rejects going to California in favor of Ted, he picks up his daughter on the edge and he is able to confront himself with his own story and show his children where he really comes from. I could never imagine a better end for this season than this one.
And now? What to expect on last season? Honestly, I have no idea. If I have learnt something during the previous six ones is not to have any expectations because something different it will happen for sure, so I assume it will be the same the last time. I wish he could find peace as Sylvia said, but probably this will not happen and the story, again, will be much better and surprising that what my mind can ever imagine. In the mean time, I will have to learn again to live without all of them and specially without Don.”
From Season 6, Don Draper & Bob Benson. Photo via pinterest.
Ms. Jeannie likes Maruta’s description of Don not being able to enjoy other people’s happiness, which might explain his conflicted relationship with Megan and her burgeoning career. And why he is attracted to the downstairs neighbor, Sylvia who is unhappy in her marriage. Misery does love company, as they say. Perhaps we could extend this further, into the office and Don not understanding or participating in the thrill of the game as he used to. Instead, he sees that Peggy and Ted are happy working together, that Bob Benson is eager to please everyone, and that Harry is ecstatic about all the possibilities of the West Coast clients. Everyone but Don seems to be engaged in their profession, while he looks at it all from the outside in and wonders what all the effort is for.
One of the most controversial character’s this season, was the introduction of Bob Benson. Ms. Jeannie thinks that all the build-up with this mysterious character is a play on the “history always repeats itself” theme. She thinks that Bob is the new Don.
Bob, like Don comes from a different past than he admits and he has the ability to charm his way into people’s lives, proving useful at the most opportune times. Ms. Jeannie thinks Bob will actually be a point of solace for Don in Season 7, proving that Don is not the only person in the world with the desire to reinvent themselves, nor the last. By the end of Season 7, Ms. Jeannie predicts that Roger Sterling will have retired, Bert Cooper will have died (sorry Burt!) and Don will have removed himself from the industry completely (more on that in a minute). Bob will be at the helm of the agency, just underneath Peggy and Joan, who will be the new partners of the first female-run ad agency in New York City.
Vintage 1960’s Red Dress from Catbooks1940s. (Click for more info)
Joan from Catbooks1940’s in the U.S. discusses Peggy’s character and where she could be headed…
“Much to my surprise, I noted it was actually Paul Kinsey who first put the idea of becoming a copywriter into Peggy’s bright and eager head, not Don or Freddy Rumsen.
Peggy who, towards the end of the finale, ended up in Don’s office, wearing a (fabulous) period pantsuit, sitting in his chair, in half-silhouette, head tilted slightly to the right, echoing Don in the opening graphic we’ve now seen for years. But back to Peggy and Kinsey of Season 1 for a moment.
Kinsey hands the Right Guard account folder to Peggy, sitting at her desk, and asks her to make sure Don takes a look at it. He hesitates, turns back to her and says, “You can look too.” She does.
Later he gives Peggy a grand tour of the office, explaining how the agency works. Over wax paper-wrapped sandwiches from the lunch cart he says, “You know, there are women copywriters.”
“Good ones?” she responds.
“Sure.”
Now she’s Copy Chief, and we’re to suppose she just might be doing more than temporarily filling in her former mentor’s chair in the near future. (I don’t think that’s going to happen. For one, Mad Men is chock full of redirects.)”
According to Ms. Jeannie, Peggy is the spine of the show. Don is the flesh of the story but Peggy is the moral balance. She has the most integrity of all the characters and even though, of course, she is flawed, she’s always trying , at least, to do the right thing, by clients, by co-workers, by love interests. As far as a love life for Peggy, Ms. Jeannie always liked her with Stan, so she hopes they end up together. Even though she referred to him last season as “being like a brother” Ms. Jeannie thinks that given the opportunity to think of him in a romantic way, Peggy could really have a great relationship with him.
Peggy has a bad habit of picking guys that are wrong for her, out of in-experience mostly and her need for challenge, so Stan would never enter her radar because their friendship is so easy-going. But Ms. Jeannie thinks in Season 7, Peggy will come to appreciate that and then seek it out on her own terms. They’ve been friends all these years, Stan respects her work ethic and intuitively they both work well together on creative projects. Stan is just different enough from Peggy for her to keep interested and Stan understands Peggy’s drives and motivations enough to give her the professional space that she requires. Technically, it’s a match made in heaven!
Peggy & Stan. Photo via pinterest.
Joan from Catbook1940s brings up the timeliness of Duck’s character towards the end of the episode…
Meanwhile back at the finale, Don has left the building, for all appearances effectively fired from SC&P. On his way down, he runs into Duck, with Don’s prospective replacement, coming out of the elevator before his metaphorical professional body is even cold. Who tipped off headhunter Duck? Pete seems like the most likely suspect, having most recently — as far as we know — been the last in contact with him. But, for all we know, it was Bob, skulking about, eavesdropping, and then giving Duck the call.”
Ms. Jeannie’s not sure about this one. Part of her says, yes, perhaps it was Pete to tell Duck, because who else would have done it. But I think Duck keeps close tabs on what goes on at SC&P and might have heard industry gossip about what occurred at the Hershey presentation, and therefore asserted himself with a meeting at the office.
“As ever, Matt Weiner & Co. were deliciously, infuriatingly vague, leaving it up to us to think it over, connect the dots, read between the lines. Which is one of the reasons I think Mad Men is the best TV show in the history of TV to date: Matt Weiner & Co. do not condescend to us, the audience. They expect us to observe closely and think — there are no throwaway lines
— and, think we do.
Occasionally there are too few clues, or none. How were we to know, for instance, that Joan got the Avon account, were it not for Mr. Weiner’s post-finale interview? Only slightly less confusing, because at least we had a hope of figuring it out on our own, was Pete’s sudden move out to California with Ted, as head of accounts of what would appear to be the beginnings of the West Coast office of SC&P.What about Bob? The most mysterious and controversial character of the season, and Joan’s new BMF. Is he gay, bi, neither but an opportunist ready and willing to do every and anything he thinks is to his advantage, a conspirator in Pete’s mother’s apparent murder? Is he fluent in Spanish because Manny/Manolo is his lover, or for some other reason? Hmm..
Blog reader, Christine from Philadelphia thinks that Bob Benson is up to no good…
“I think that Bob and Manolo are con-men. Bob is working on the inside of SC&P to eventually steal money from the company. Remember, that he worked in accounting to begin with and then, as of late, has been cozying up with Joan, possibly in hopes to learn more about the inner workings of the office. Manolo went the circuitous route by inserting himself in Pete Campbell’s personal life, so that ultimately, with the help of Manolo, Bob could find Pete’s weak spot and bring him down on a fundamental level. Bob could advance in the company and continue to plot about stealing company money before he and Manolo run off together as lovers with a fortune.”
Hmmmm…so much to think about! It seems that could go on for months about Don and Bob. There was a theory flying around the internet all season that Bob was a spy for the government who was after Don. While technically, Ms. Jeannie supposes this could still be a possibility, she is glad that Don is dredging up his past on his own instead of being forced to by police or the government.
With Don no longer trying to stay tight-lipped about his past, he can now begin to let others into his thoughts. What was once a lonely place for him, the internal struggles of his mind can now come to the surface and be shared with others. Sally, in Ms. Jeannie’s opinion, will the one to most appreciate this effort. We know from past seasons that she has yet to develop any hobbies or personal interests, yet she is incredibly observant and outspoken, so Ms. Jeannie thinks that Sally will close the series with the determination of becoming a journalist. She’ll realize that there is value, both financially and emotionally, in watching people’s stories unfold and she;ll become afresh voice of her generation. This will be her way to ultimately figure out her parents, herself and her changing society.
Sally Draper – budding journalist, perhaps? Photo via pinterest.
As for what will become of Don in the final season, Ms. Jeannie thinks that he could stay with Megan, that they could move to Montreal, that they could have a baby and that Megan could continue to work as an actor. Ms. Jeannie really liked Megan’s character, so she is hoping that she is not off the show. She liked that Megan gave her whole heart to Don and tried her best to make it work during both the easy times and the hard times, trying to be both understanding and clever. Being married to Don might have been her best playground for dramatic practice.
Betty is a bit more old-fashioned in defining her own role as a wife and mother, albeit not seeming exactly excited about either option. Don understands Betty more though because they come from the same generation of expectations, where as Megan is thoroughly modern in her thinking. Having said that, Ms. Jeannie thinks Betty will divorce Henry because, with him, her life seems dull. Ms. Jeannie thinks she’ll encourage a reconciliation with Don and a move to a more exotic locale like Mexico or Hawaii, where they can start over as a family with the boys and Sally in tow.
The third possibility is that Don could remain in New York, single, and for the first time, sure of himself, as he watches the city spin around him. He could get out of the advertising industry all together and start a different career path – maybe opening up a cinema, which was the only thing we ever knew that he loved (besides, women, work and drinking of course!). It’s unclear if Don needs to work, or if he has enough in reserve, to just take some time off and sort through his life for awhile.
Ms. Jeannie was disappointed that Roger didn’t pull Don aside before-hand to let him know about the company’s plans of forcing a prolonged absence. Roger and Don were such friends, but in the end, that’s just business, and when it comes down to it, life and work march on whether you are having a meltdown or not. Don had the ability to bring down the whole ship of SC&P, so Roger was possibly looking at it from that perspective. One that his livelihood was tied up in just as much as Don’s.
Joan from Catbooks1940’s thinks the office is going to shake down as foillows…
Predictions for the final season next year? With Mad Men, this is much like trying to predict the flight of a bumblebee, but here goes.
We will know more about Bob Benson. I suspect he’s angling for Pete’s job as head of accounts, and so far, he’s doing well. SC&P isn’t all that picky about the backgrounds of their employees, as long as they can bring in the accounts. Pete’s off to California, anyway. The way he manipulated the nurse at Joan’s visit to the emergency hospital and Pete’s humiliation in Detroit was downright masterful. He’s come a long way from his ham-handed grinning and lurking with two cups of coffee. A quick learner, that boy. So we’ll see if he can use his formidable newly acquired skills on clients as effectively.
I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Don at SC&P, nor do I think all that’s happened will end up being the wake-up call that finally wakes him up. He’ll shape up professionally, Don-talk his way back, and then leave. Probably for California, either to take over the new office out there, or start out on his own. He’s already proved himself many times over to be either incapable or unwilling to change in any meaningful way on a personal level.
Maybe he’ll even talk Peggy and Ted into coming with him. Which would fit nicely with my thought that things between Peggy and Ted aren’t over. Not to say I think it’ll be a happily ever after ending with them, and maybe not even develop into a romantic relationship, but there’s something else in store for those two.
Bert Cooper, one of my favorite characters, may buy the farm next season, leaving SC&P rudderless. For all of his delightfully quixotic quirks, he is the anchor. When push comes to shove, it’s always Bert who sees what needs to be done and does it without hesitation.
Which would leave Roger and Jim Cutler in charge. Except, there’d still be Joan. Roger is no match for Cutler, but Roger *and* Joan just might be. I like the idea of Joan and Roger together, not romantically, but teaming up professionally. I confess I want some sort of happiness and success for Joan, and even Roger, so take this prediction with a grain of salt.
I find Megan too uninteresting and two-dimensional a character to bother thinking about much, but she’ll be out in California, pursuing her acting career, probably solo.
Just to tie back into Season 1, I think Paul Kinsey is in California, pontificating and blowing his mind on acid, in the Haight. But I doubt we’ll ever see him again.”
Women of Mad Men Print by Fishmerman’s Porch (click for more info)
Brandi from Fisherman’s Porch in Michigan was so satisfied with this season’s character development, she couldn’t even begin to decide where the storylines will go next year…
“What I love about the finale is that it’s practically impossible to not talk about but there is so little to say that it doesn’t say itself. I’ve read that Matthew Weiner ends every season as if it’s the last and I really think part of his genius is that he almost always manages to end a season with all the characters in a place that feels complete, while still giving you a reason to keep watching. The finale was wonderful, a great end to kind of a winding season; everyone is right where they need to be. Sigh… I miss it already.”
Well said, Brandi! Matthew Weiner has such a wonderful knack for giving just the right amount of information, without giving all the information. He said recently, in an interview, that he will not be unveiling a big “aha” moment for the series finale, so it is doubtful that Don Draper and the rest of the cast will be wrapped up in a tidy little package like we all would hope. But nonetheless, it is still fun to imagine what could happen while we wait for what will happen.
Thank you to everyone who contributed their comments. If you, dear blog readers, would like to chime in with your thought’s on the show’s direction, please comment below and we’ll continue all of our speculating!
One last thought: One thing that was never addressed were the cops in the season six poster. Do you think that was meant to represent the tumultuous time in history or was it a metaphorical symbol of Don confronting his past? Or maybe they represent his night spent in jail? What do you think?
Mad Men Season 6 poster. Photo courtesy of collider.com
The other day Ms. Jeannie came home to this scene…
A visitor.
That’s Nyle, as you’ll recall from a previous post, the neighbor’s goat. The flora and fauna feast he’s enjoying are Ms. Jeannie’s scrub bushes in her side yard.
On first glance she thought “Oh look how handsome that goat is!” A second later she realized that seeing Nyle standing there in her yard chewing on her bushes, meant that he had jumped the fence and decided on a visit.
Ms. Jeannie called her neighbor to let him know that Nyle had a bit of wanderlust and was traveling southbound via the sideyard shrubbery.
While she waited for her neighbor, Ms. Jeannie went out to visit with Nyle, who of course, was perfectly pleased to share stories of his adventure…
Hey, Ms. Jeannie!
After recounting the experience, hoof by hoof, Nyle decided that the ice cream topper on this festive occasion would be a good old fashioned game of hide and seek.
“Here I go , Ms. Jeannie. I’ll hide and you find me,” said Nyle.“Can you see me now?”“How ’bout now?”
Nymph looked on from her side of the fence (the right side!) like she was watching a movie unfold.
“These leaves are just as tasty as popcorn. “
Even the chickens were captivated…
“Just where will Nyle hide next?”“Can I fit in a bucket?”
Just as Nyle was debating such proportions, Ms. Jeannie’s neighbor came to collect him.
There’s no hiding from the hand that feeds you.
Back over the fence went Nyle.
See ya later, Ms. Jeannie.
“That’s one special character,” said Ms. Jeannie to her neighbor.
“Yeah that Billy Bob, he’s just about as friendly as goats get.”
And that’s the moment when Ms. Jeannie learned that her Nymph and Nyle are actually named Billy Bob and Betty Boop. She also learned that they go bananas for Saltine crackers, that before the end of the year Nymph (aka Betty Boop) will be a mom and (thankfully), that these two are bound for breeding and not table food. So we can all rest assured on that point. Ms. Jeannie can hardly wait to see the little tiny baby goats these two produce!
The other day, Mr. Jeannie Ology feared the worst. That Ms. Jeannie wound be done in. In the night. By the toppling tower of books that has taken up residence on her tiny night stand next to the bed.
“One wrong flip of your hand and you’ll be dead.”
Ms. Jeannie hadn’t even considered these possibilities. There are a lot of books. But Ms. Jeannie has plans to read each and every one this summer. Mr. Jeannie said it was an ambitious goal.
Ms. Jeannie’s summer reading.
Perhaps. But Ms. Jeannie is of the ambitious sort, so it is only fitting. Besides, she tells Mr. Jeannie – there could be worse things in life than death by books:)
Ms. Jeannie promised her handsome husband that after reading each book and thoughtfully thinking about it – she’ll retire it to the towering stacks on the dresser far, far away from the bed. By September, she should be out of harm’s way. Quite possibly, also by then, a new batch of handmade bookshelves will be finished. (hint, hint, Mr. Jeannie!).
Photo courtesy of HookedOnHouses.net. Click the photo to see the entire house.
You don’t have to worry about any sudden death here! Perhaps one day, Ms. Jeannie will be appropriately organized with her book collection. Until then, she’ll just have to take it one story at a time.
What’s on your summer reading list? If you’ve read any of the books in Ms. Jeannie’s list above, please let her know which ones and what you thought.
In the Vintage Kitchen: Where History Comes To Eat 