ARK BREAD FRESHIE THE RABBIT

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #21


This goes with my other ARK Bread item and now I know the rabbit's name!

USEFUL PROTEIN FROM LIFE CEREAL

Found this fun 1962 Quaker Life magazine ad of the forgotten cereal mascot the Useful Protein. You'll see that I added another scan of the ad and this one is for anyone who would like to cut him out. I used a card stock type of paper to print him on and after cutting him out he now stands next to my computer monitor.



JUST CLICK ON THE SCAN AND PRINT HIM OUT FOR YOUR VERY OWN USEFUL PROTEIN

If you want a smaller one just use this smaller version to print out.

SQUIRREL TOWN GRAVOIS MILLS, MO POSTCARD

I have no information about Squirrel Town and I didn't know it existed until I found this postcard last week. It was located in Gravois Mills which is part of the Lake of the Ozarks here in Missouri. The card is probably from the 1950's.

The funny thing is that lady is letting a squirrel drink Coca-Cola from a bottle.

You know, I wonder if Squirrel Town had a little squirrel mayor or a little squirrel sheriff. Maybe there was a little squirrel school house with tiny little squirrel students. If they had a school then they probably had a little squirrel church with a little squirrel congregation. More I think about it they probably even had a little squirrel fire department and they might've had a little squirrel . . .

Ok, I better quit before I go nuts!

1933 CHICAGO WORLDS FAIR SINCLAIR DINOSAUR EXHIBIT SNAPSHOT

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #21

It's been slim pickings lately, but I did find this snapshot from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair of the Sinclair Dinosaur exhibit in a bag of old photos.

LAST GUBERBURGER AT THE WHEEL INN DRIVE IN

Last Sunday night I had my first and last Guberburger at the famous Wheel Inn Drive In on the intersection of hiway 50 & 65 in Sedalia, Missouri and I regret waiting this long to finally try it. In the past I’ve usually ordered the double meat cheeseburger because I was always kind of afraid I wouldn’t like the Guberburger. My fears were foolish ones as I really enjoyed the famous Guberburger, a hamburger with hot melted peanut butter.

Unfortunately, this Missouri roadside landmark will be closed forever on September 3 thanks to a new hiway expansion. The Wheel Inn has been serving the Guberburger, Soozie-Q fries and many other tasty treats since 1947.


Check out this opening day photo back in 1947.

Here's a menu from a few years back that I'm glad I saved.


A few flickr photos to check out!
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If you’re near Sedalia or happen to be passing thru between now and September 3, be sure to stop and grab yourself a Guberburger, Soozie-Q fries and a Cherry Coke before it’s too late!

MR. MOUTH GAME

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #20

Last weekend I got back another piece of my childhood when I found this Mr. Mouth game. I loved this game when I was kid!

The game starts once you flip the little white switch and Mr. Mouth begins spinning his head while opening and closing his mouth. Up to four players can play as you try to use your flipper hand to flip a plastic chip into his mouth. First person who successfully feeds Mr. Mouth all of their chips wins the game.

Mr. Mouth was also a fun toy to play with as he sometimes acted as an evil monster out to eat army men and Star Wars figures. I remember how funny it was to watch my dog, Bluebell's reaction to him as she wasn't too sure why he kept snapping his big mouth at her.

I paid $9.99 since for him at the flea market and the box has the original price tag from 1977 and back then it cost $9.88. How about that, he's only worth eleven cents more 30 years later!

Here's the link for the original patent.

Mr. Mouth, Mr. Mouth. He just can't keep his big mouth shut!

CAPTAIN (ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY)

I had some time this morning to finally do a drawing for Illustration Friday and today's topic is Captain.

SELLING SOME OLD MOVIE THEATER POSTCARDS & ETC

I've listed a bunch of old movie theater stuff on ebay. Mostly early postcards and a few programs. I've been going thru my theater collection and weeding out a few things here and there. Just click here to go to my auctions

OZARK DEER FARM

"Hey, kid's you’re in for a swell treat, as it’s time to visit the one and only Ozark Deer Farm!"


The Ozark Deer farm was once located at Lake of the Ozarks, just outside of Eldon, Missouri.

The cards shown here, are from the 1950's and I’m not sure how long this tourist attraction was in business, but I believe it disappeared from the roadside by the mid-60's.

It looks like it was a fun place, especially if you had the chance to meet Bambi, Rudolph and of course a 5-Legged Ox!

SNAPSHOT PHOTO OF LAMONT CRANSTON aka THE SHADOW

Maybe the person in this old snapshot is really the secret identity of The Shadow, better known as Lamont Cranston. Only the Shadow knows. . .

PERKINS PANCAKE HOUSE MENU

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #20

This Perkins Pancake House menu is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is probably from the late 50's or early 60's.




Read the history of Perkins

SHOO FLY

Ok, I know it’s long pass midnight and I really should be asleep trying to catch a Z or two, but this annoying housefly is buzzing around the room driving me nuts! The house is nice and quiet, the first lady is sound asleep and I’m trying to relax while I draw in my sketchbook.

Relax? Forget it! Concentrate on my sketch? Forget that too, ‘cause all I can think about is this buzzing housefly that zooms back and forth from lamp to lamp bugging me to death!!! I keep thinking about getting up to fetch the fly swatter, but that would take effort and remember I’m trying to relax here. I even resort in trying to grab him right out of the air, like that guy who stacked quarters on his elbow in Happy Days. After a couple of misses I quit trying, because who knows where he’s been! Yuck!

Finally, he lands smack dab on my sketch book and starts running all over it. Oh, I was tempted to close my sketchbook and smash him between the pages. I bet he would’ve made a nice little splat of abstract art, but I really didn’t want fly guts all over my page. So what do you think I did? Grab the fly swatter? Open the back door and shoo him out? Use Superman Fly Paper from one of last year's posts? No, I grabbed my camera and took his photo instead!

(CLICK FOR A CLOSER LOOK, IF YOU DARE)

Why take a photo of a housefly? I have no idea, because just a few seconds earlier I wanted to murder the little guy. Looking at the photo up close he’s really colorful and shines like he’s made of polished metal. This little creature is actually kind of cute in his own disgusting way. Now that I’m in the office typing this post, he’s probably in the other room flying all over the place buzzing up a storm, but I don’t have the heart to flatten him with the swatter. I guess I’ll just have to shoo him out the door.

Sorry for this odd and out of the norm post, but I just had to blog about it. Since I’m not too sleepy, I think I’ll go watch that Vincent Price classic, The Fly! Good night!

FEW MORE ROADSIDE PHOTOS FROM MY TRIP

THREE OLD MOVIE THEATERS & ONE DRIVE-IN

LISTENING TO THE WISDOM OF BOB

Dr. Robert Hartley gave me some much needed advice!

ATTACK OF THE 25 FOOT MUFFLER MEN

Giants walk among us! Er, that’s more like stand among us and they’re not flesh and bone, but are made of fiberglass. At this moment you might be asking yourself, what the heck is a Muffler Man? These behemoths of the byways and highways have been standing around for over forty years and they can be spotted hanging around muffler shops, tire barns, gas stations, mini-golf courses and various touristy type attractions all over America. Usually, they’re in the form of Paul Bunyans, Alfred E. Newmans, Native Americans, and square jawed men dressed in many different costumes.

Originally they were created by the company International Fiberglass and they didn’t get their name until the extremely popular book and website Roadside America labeled these giants as Muffler Men.

I’ve met a few of these big guys in my travels and here are the snaps to prove it!

Maryland Heights, MO

Foristell, MO

Lake Ozark, MO

Lake Ozark, MO

Osage Beach, MO (This MM is no longer here)

Rapid City, SD

Lyons, CO

Atlanta, IL

Wilmington, IL

Burbank, IL (The Frankenmuffler Man)

Muffler Men are good people, but sometimes they’re a real pain in the neck! Every time you meet one, you get a crick in your neck from always looking up at 'em.

For some more info and fun sites on Muffler Men, check out these links.
Muffler Men Home Page
Roadside Architecture-Land of the Giants
Muffler Men Flickr Group
Tilting Trailer Patent for transporting Muffler Men