Mid-April and lots to report and lots to look forward to!
On May 1st. Ian Coristine will publish his eBook One in a Thousand the first eBook on the Thousand Islands and from all accounts a special tribute to the St. Lawrence River and all it stands for.
From Ian Coristine: In 1992 I took off on a flight with two friends in our Challenger ultralight floatplanes. With no destination in mind, we arrived, by chance, in the 1000 Islands. I was stunned by what I saw. Now I live here, and with my plane I’ve been treated to a “privileged view” of the islands. Like the writers of The Olive Farm and A Year in Provence, I’ve found my special place in the world. It has completely changed my life.
Written with novelist Donna Walsh Inglehart, this is my story. When the iPad emerged, I saw the potential of using images, audio, video and music to bring my story to life in a much richer form than text and images alone.
Then on May 17 in Canada and May 24 in the United States, Kim Lunman’s Island Life Magazine will be distributed to 25,000 homes. This year’s edition includes stories about Red Top Island, Wellesley Island, Temagami Island, Comfort Island, Carleton Island and an excerpt from Ian Coristine's One in a Thousand e-Book on Raleigh Island.
For those who do not receive the inserts in their copies of the EMC (Ontario) or the Thousand Islands Sun (US) the Islander Edition will be on sale by the end of May at the Antique Boat Museum, Corbins in Clayton, Boldt and Singer castles and other tourism outlets/bookstores throughout the summer. People can also buy it online at www.islandlifemag.ca – As in past years this magazine promises to be a wonderful edition. (See Taking the Plunge: Stories of Year-Round Thousand Islands Life to learn more about Kim Lunman, who is a team member of TI Life and generously shares her many stories with our readers).
This Issue
Brian Johnson presents a special memorial tribute in Farewell, Buttercup and Anthony Mollica presents the story of a favorite River boats, Zipper, the Flagship. TI Life team members Mike Folsom presents Disaster, Leaks and to the Dogs… Kim Lunman presents The Grand Lady of Totem Point and Lynn McElfresh presents Grenell by Numbers in advance of the island’s 100th anniversary.
Robert Matthews shares some postcards from Detroit Photographic Co. – continued, while Dolores R. Buckley introduces Discovering Frank T. Lent and Jason McNaught presents an excursion in Landing at Georgina Island.
Kristen Taylor begins a new feature, Taking the Plunge: Stories of Year-Round Thousand Islands Life, capturing some of the trepidation and excitement required, when one makes the decision to give up a traditional “city life” and move to the North Country in the United States, or what is known as Eastern Ontario in Canada.
New Contributors
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Kristen Taylor - Taking the Plunge: Stories of Year-Round Thousand Islands Life
Kristen Taylor lives with her family, including her husband, Jon, and daughter, Grace, and is the owner and founder of Taylored Public Relations LLC a Clayton-based marketing and public relations company. Before moving to Clayton, Kristen spent eight years in Washington, D.C., where she graduated from The George Washington University and worked as Vice President of a strategic communications firm.
Kristen will continue her interviews over the coming weeks.
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Dolores R. Buckley - Discovering Frank T. Lent
Dolores R. Buckley lives in a Frank T. Lent designed home in Worcester, Massachusetts. She received her Masters degree in Social Services and Rehab Counseling and worked in the field until her retirement. She was and remains active in her community pursuing a political career on the school board and was a volunteer at the Abby’s Shelter for women for many years. She is still a board member of the Elder Services of Worcester. She and her husband of 62 years enjoy travelling, so we expect her to come to the Thousand Islands soon. |
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Jason McNaught - Landing at Georgina Island
A former Captain of the training ship, Black Jack, Jason McNaught is the Head of School of Bytown Brigantine Academy, an Independent secondary school approved by the Ontario Ministry of Education and operating on the Canadian brigantine, Fair Jeanne. Jason continues to work for the Ottawa based charity, Bytown Brigantine Inc. in the capacity of Principal and Program Director.
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TILT joins forces with Artist Sarah Ellen Smith
In 1993, TILT (Thousand Islands Land Trust) began acquiring pieces of the old New York Central/Penn Central Railroad bed in Clayton, Orleans, Theresa, Redwood and Philadelphia, NY. The Sissy Danforth Memorial Rivergate Trail project, now 25 miles long, is named for former director, Louise “Sissy” Danforth, who was the inspired energy behind its development. Since that time TILT and several of its partners, including ATV clubs, have worked to make the trail one of the Land Trust’s special preserves.
Beginning in January, TILT formed a new partnership with Thousand Islands artist, Sarah Ellen Smith. Smith has begun to capture the trail every month with photographs and sound. Her lens and interpretations bring the trail to life. The ice has melted and the trail is greening up,about to burst with life after a mild winter's rest. Be sure to check in often to TILT’s website to see more YouTube presentations – you will learn a great deal.
Readers Exchange from Facebook, Twitter and the mailbox
Once again we thank our readers for their many comments, for joining our Facebook page and following us on Twitter. We encourage your comments and appreciate when you share your ideas, concerns and opinions.
TICKS: Email brought a notice from Margaret Dochoda, (Wolfe Island News Group) providing links to information about deer ticks. These included a new scientific study, “Predicting the speed of tick invasion: an empirical model of range expansion for the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis in Canada. from the Journal of Applied Ecology. Volume 49, Issue 2, April 2012. as well as Deer Tick Pictures. Also Parks Canada and Jefferson County, NY Department and Services provide excellent reviews on their website.
TWITTER Special thanks to Mike Folsom who hosts the facebook page: St. Lawrence River Ship Watchers. Mike keeps us informed about the happenings on the St. Lawrence Seaway. On March 27 he sent this twitter message: Tug Patrice McAllister caught fire on Lake Ontario last night. One hurt, several inhaled smoke. The tug is being pulled back to Clayton by Bowditch of Abaco Towing – just on example of how we can keep up to date while at our desks in New York, NY, San Jose, California and even Ottawa.
POSTCARDS: In our last issue Robert Matthews asked a question: Clayton Club, copyright 1902: “Can any reader provide information on this subject?” (T I Collectables, Part IV, Detroit Postcards) Our thanks to Dennis Honeywell ( Clayton ) for leaving this answer:
Photo-Clayton Club; It was my understanding from a dear friend and long time Supervisor of the Town of Clayton, Gordon D. Cerow that the Clayton Club was a large hotel at the very pinnacle of Bartlett Point just southwest of the Village of Clayton. Gordon and several of his musical friends (Bill Streets, Lloyd Fox & others) had formed a band that frequently entertained at the Clayton Club. There were stories involved with that entertainment schedule that will remain unpublished here...but Gordon always told me it was one of the most well respected hotel operations in Clayton and the Thousand Islands. I have no idea what happened to the club...but history being what it is...it probably burned. Dates of which I have no idea either. I hope this helps a bit...and if I am wrong about this please forgive. To the best of my memory that is what Supervisor Cerow related to me.
PHOTOGRAPHS: We can never get enough photographs. Doug and Caroline McLellan, Wood Island, Lake Fleet, sent these on April 7 saying, “The River would like you all to know it has put on its finest and is ready to play! Spring is easily a month ahead with everything budding and some flowers like these, in abundance. Does anyone know the names of these?
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Doug McLellan
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Doug McLellan
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Doug McLellan
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Special thanks to Nora Detlor from Ash Island, who sent a series of photographs to facebook.
Take care this month. The water is still cold and boating can be dangerous. Be smart - wear a PFD and leave a itinerary when you go out on the River.
Susan W. Smith, susansmith@thousandislandslife.com
Editor.
