An Old Favorite!

This is a fave pic from an old blog. It's a bit dated, but still dear to my heart! The only thing missing is Kell-Bell!

Matthew 5:13

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. Matthew 5:13

~ One of my favorite scriptures.

Mars Hill Cafe

The above photos are of the menu boards and feature boards I did in pastels for Mars Hill Cafe in Mobile. I did the original boards several years ago and re-vamped them for the new owners. The photos are a little grainy but they were all I had!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK by Amanda Zirlott Megginson

As a little child, I can picture in my mind, standing in my Uncle James’s shop eating raw oysters as quickly as my Meme and Papa could open them. Oh the taste!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember walking out to the end of my Papa George Zirlott’s driveway waiting for him to come home carrying his lunch box up to the house after his long day on the oyster reef.

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember long hot days spent on the beach playing in the sand and taking a nice cool dip in the water at Aunt Katie’s beach house on the bay. Oh, the memories!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember walking along the shoals picking up oysters building a huge driftwood fire and roasting and eating them. Oh, how good they tasted!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember as a young girl going with my mother to cedar point tying a rock and a chicken neck in the bottom of a crab pot and pulling it up with just a few crabs in it. Oh, the excitement!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember taking a boat ride out to Cat Island getting off on shore walking the beach seeing gull eggs hatching out. Oh, so much fun!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember digging through the pile of oyster shells on my father's cull board finding a small crab, putting it on a hook and hanging it over the side as Daddy culled off, feeling a tug on the line and pulling up a big sheep head. Oh, the feeling!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember standing on the small wharf in front of Uncle Milton’s house watching Uncle Rink throw the cast net over and over pulling up mullet putting them in the bucket. Oh, what fun!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember waiting till midnight till the tide was low walking Alabama Port beach picking up soft shell crabs always hoping they were soft when we picked them up. They weren’t always. Ouch!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.
I remember piling into the car going to the dock seeing the shrimp boat coming up the bayou waving at Daddy with excitement watching him throw the rope over the huge pilling to tie the boat up. Running up the wharf and watching each box of shrimp being unloaded from the hold. Oh, what memories!

THE OIL SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I remember standing watching daddy and mama open oysters seeing each one slide into the bucket then watching Mama dredge each oyster in corn meal and frying them until golden brown. Oh, what a wonderful smell!

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

Last, I remember standing in a crab shop picking crabs to pay for a long white gown, flowers and a wedding cake; not much money made hard work. But thankful for each dime.

THE OIL IS SO BLACK GOD PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND.

I know each and every person here has memories of their own. How our lives have depended on this place, the water, and oh what it means to each and every one of us. Maybe sometimes we have taken it for granted thinking it will always be here, but as we have seen in the last few months we should never take it for granted again. Our beautiful water, beaches, bayous, our way of life has been spoiled. We want them back! So please continue to pray and ask God TO PLEASE HEAL OUR LAND!

Written by Amanda Zirlott Megginson

If my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14

Mirabella ~ Art Study

Don't ya just wanna scratch her behind the ears?! I love this little watercolor! It's an art study I did today. I wanted to do something with lots of shadows so I could play a little with purples and blues. This cow jumped out at me from an old magazine page while I was looking for collage pieces. I'd give credit to the original artist if I could read the name! Adding something else to the to-do list: take a ride out to Irvington and Grand Bay and find some cows to photograph!

Studio Re-Do in Progress!

Emptying the studio (filling the dining room in the process) in an attempt to re-vamp and organize. Over the last three years, accumulation of art supplies, resource materials and ephemera have taken over, leaving no space to be creative. So, everything was moved out of the studio and into the dining room. The only thing left were the work tables and shelving. After rearranging a few things and making a list and sending a car load home with a fellow artist, I'm beginning to get back into the groove of painting and creating!

While running errands over the weekend I decided to make a few stops at tag sales. I saw an estate sale sign and had to go back! The lady asked what I was looking for. I told her old jewelry, KJV large print Bibles and shelving I could hang on a wall. "No, none of that" she said as I stared into the garage. She told me there were things inside for sale as well. I immediately asked about these shelving units. I desperately needed flat storage in my studio. After wheeling and dealing with the guy in charge, they loaded them up with 1/16th of an inch to spare in the back of my Tahoe! IT was meant to be and has found a new home! No more digging thru piles for mats, bags or paper! I can also use a couple of the shelves for drying space for oil pieces! Yay!

Keller turns 1 !!!

This watercolor was created by a fellow artist friend, Satomi Miyahara. Satomi is also an artist at Cathedral Square Gallery in Mobile and creates beautiful art! Thank you Satomi for this beautiful painting of my grandbaby girl, Keller! I gave the painting to my daughter and son-in-law on the occasion of Keller's first birthday, which is July 13th. Gramma's birthday is today .... have a century...yeah! the big 5-0! Enough about that!


Such a sweet baby! Love my Kell-Bell!! Looking forward to baking cupcakes and painting and growing flowers and playing dolls and Candy Land and all those fun things I missed when my girls were this age!