Jim Nolan's Blog

Free Richard Proenneke Readings from Park Service

If you're a Dick Proenneke fan, you'll really like this collection of his writings, wonderfully edited by John Branson, a Park Service historian. You can read it free on-line it here. It contains a detailed biographical sketch. I was interested to learn that he had a J-3 Piper Cub from 1975-1976. He and his brother Raymond used it to explore the Twin Lakes area. Proenneke eventually crashed it (iced carburator) but crawled out to a highway and survived. He was also considered a mechanical genius by those who knew him. You can buy the book on Amazon. Thanks again to Rob Hanson for evenfallstudio.com for pointing me to this in his October 22, 2010 post there.

Rec Room Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman

Today's Monday Six Chix cartoon. Hey, that looks a lot like our basement. 

Massage Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman

There's always a line for this massage. 

Bad Hair Day Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman

Click to enlarge.

Buffalonians may recognize City Hall and the waterfront in these beautiful panels. I love how the woman's windswept hair is drawn. Six Chix is now available for free on Apple News. Just search for "Six Chix" and tap on the logo. 

Standing Desk Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman

Today's Six Chix Cartoon. Have a great Monday at the office. 

Mary Wollstonecraft Statue Proposed in U.K.

A screengrab from The Guardian about a terrific idea to memorialize Mary Wollstonecraft. She wrote and lived fearlessly, and was ahead of her time by hundreds of years. Today she's more popular and influential than ever, a perfect person to celebrate on International Woman's Day. Do we have a sticker of Wollstonecraft at Literary Locations you can order? Actually, we have two. You can learn more about the statue effort at maryonthegreen.org

Adam Gibson's 1950 Eclipse Model 400 Portable Grill

One of the great pleasures of writing this blog is corresponding with people like Howie Mook and Adam Gibson. These guys have so much interest in Buffalo Forge products and Broil-Air grills and are terrific craftsmen, bringing them back to life. Now Adam has found a portable grill made in Eden, NY (next door to Hamburg, where Adam lives). It's an Eclipse Model 400, and a beauty. This one has never been used. As Adam says, "It doesn't get any better or any more American than this." The photo is from the Lake Erie shore. 

I love the idea that this grill has been waiting 65 years to grill some amazing food by the lake—and thanks to Adam, it's getting its chance.

International Woman's Day Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman

This week, "Six Chix" will be celebrating International Women's Day. Here's an article from the King Features Syndicate blog with cartoonists writing about women cartoonists they admire. Isabella gives her opinion at the top of it. For a better look at Isabella's cartoon, click on the image to enlarge it. 

 

American Restoration Episode Featuring Buffalo Forge Grill

You can see the "Planes and Flames" episode here. I drive in at around 13:25. Above, a screen shot of me trying out the grill after Tyler and Rick revealed the restoration. It was morning in Las Vegas, but well over 90 degrees out. Tyler and Rick and the rest of the crew were super nice people. It was fun (but expensive).