Millersburg Big Fish Amethyst Bowl

I purchased this Millersburg Big Fish amethyst bowl at the Tampa Bay Club convention auction of 2011. I fell hook, line and sinker for it's deep radium colors and exceptional beauty.

I had lots of competition. After all, fishing is Florida's biggest attraction so you can imagine the bidding was tougher than a catfish. Eventually I tired them out and reeled in my trophy. When I held it I knew I wouldn't be throwing this one back in. No catch and release here!

I hope you enjoyed my story about the one that didn't get away!

The next to last photo is from the Remmen Auctions catalog. 

Here's something else I'd like to share with you. Years ago there was a man by the name of John Noga who was famous for his sketches of wildlife scenes, especially fish, that he would run weekly in our local newspaper. I used to clip them out and save them in a scrapbook as a young girl. His article was called "Field Notes" and was syndicated in a few New England newspapers.

He was quite the artist and he would give hints and tips through these illustrations of how to hunt, fish, and identify wildlife. I recently had the pleasure of meeting John Noga's nephew and niece who told me all about their long deceased uncle and showed me an old photograph and Fisherman's Prayer they had in their livingroom. I love the prayer and I thought it would be a good time to pass it along to you with the story of my Big Fish bowl. The prayer, shown in last photo, goes like this:

  A Fisherman's Prayer

 God grant that I may fish,

until my dying day,

and when it comes to my last cast,

I then most humbly pray,

When in the Lord's safe landing net

I'm peacefully asleep,

That in His mercy I be judged,

as big enough to keep. 

  Author Unknown

The Christina Katsikas Collection