I’ve always loved to swim. My grandmother called me a fish, though in later years I realized she was the one who influenced my love of water the most. When I think of her now, I remember her in her pool, fishing, shelling, crafting with shells, peeling shrimp, or gazing at the ocean. She always had an aquarium at home, and I remember her giving my son coffee table books about the ocean and shadow boxes full of shells that she ordered and labeled.

Growing up she took my brother and I on road trips all over the southeast, usually ending up in a coastal town on the gulf coast of Florida or Alabama. I believe Pensacola, Florida was one of her favorite areas as well as Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Fishing St. George Island Florida

More than once she pulled off the road and took us on an impromptu fishing stop near a bridge or park on the Gulf Coast. We also fished together from beach piers in Florida. (If you’re wondering, surf fishing from the beach and bay, as well as from the pier – technically the old bridge -is excellent on St. George Island all year.)  On one beach trip my brother had his arm in a cast and I remember my grandmother wrapping his arm in plastic and then walking beside him holding his arm above the water line just so he could swim.

“There’s no such thing as a bad day when you’re fishing.”

– John D. Williams

A Place for Family

My memories of her at the beach are so sweetly and closely held, that my husband Steven had the idea to christen the fish cleaning table at Beach, Love & Happiness as “Mema’s Fish ‘N Shells” shortly after purchasing our beach house rental on St. George Island last year. That might seem like a funny tribute, but she would have been so pleased to fish on St. George Island with us, to collect the endless shells and watch the pelicans and dolphins.

Clean Your Fish, Your Shells, Your Paws

To make the fish cleaning station more functional we also replaced the faucet and added a new foot wash (and for those who travel with dogs, a paw wash).

Shortly after carefully lettering the fish sink, my mom and dad came for a visit. My mom loved the idea and took our fish table project to the next level painting a seahorse, fish and other sea life on the table.

This winter I whitewashed the rest of the fish table to freshen it up and painted the mounted fish. Steven added his barracuda made from various beach finds like driftwood and shells. It’s become quite the family effort. So when you come to our St George Island beach rental and are preparing your catch at the fish sink table, or washing your shells, notice our artwork and smile.

If you leave an extra piece of driftwood or discard a few shells by the sink – you’ll see them worked into our next project somewhere at Beach, Love & Happiness.