November 11th allows us to pause for Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the US. Then many of us pause again November 27th - Thanksgiving Day in the United States - both days are appreciated for their symbolism. These day are about giving thanks for all of our blessings and remembering all of the good things in our lives. As we look back on the Summer of ‘14, each of us will have special River memories and for that we are thankful.
This Issue
Photo contest: Ian Coristine encourages us to Get Ready for the 3rd Annual Photo Contest, with a deadline of December 6th, 2014.
Island Life: Lynn McElfresh introduce Pat Carpenter and her Rookie Season; and John Patterson,Scott Ritson and Marilee & Joe Lupo provide The One that Got Away…
History: Dr. John Carter provides
Patriot Chronicles: Nathan Williams, A Rebel who Escaped; Nancy Bond gives us our first
TI Life article on
Prohibition - Depression – Bootlegging; and in honor of Veterans and Remembrance Day, Charles MacLean Cochand presents
Ian Aldous MacLean’s P.O.W. War Diary 1944. We also introduce Ogdensburg Historian, Julie Madlin, and her
Senator Preston King and Congressman John Fine.
The Art World: Ryan Evans, a high school freshman presents his
A River Gift from Ryan Evans; and I introduce
Les Boszormeny - Carving Birds from Wood.
Book Reviews: Thomas Pullyblank shares An Excerpt: “A Birth on the River”; from his latest book The Ghost of Billy Masterson which takes place on Grindstone Island. M.A. Noble’s “Taking The the Gold” is another excerpt from her latest book. Both are available for the holiday season.
Survey: Alexandra Kelly and Monica Seidel ask our readers to Please Take Our Survey…. Residents on both sides of the River are asked to participate.
New Contributors in November
| | Monica Seidel and Alex Kelly - Please take our survey… Monica Seidel is from Ottawa, Ontario, and is finishing her fourth year in Environmental Science at Queen's University in Kingston, ON. She says, “I am most passionate about wildlife management and conservation, and one of my favourite activities is travelling to see wildlife in their natural habitat.” Alex Kelly is from Toronto, Ontario, and is currently in her last year, studying Environmental Science at Queen's University, Kingston, ON. She says, “I am especially interested in learning about lakes and oceans, so I am hoping to become a marine biologist.” Alex’s favourite mammal is an Orca Whale. |
| | Marilee & Joe Lupo, Scott Ritson and John F. Patterson - The One that Got Away… John F. Patterson, or Jack, was the instigator of this article. He is a long time island resident on Axeman in the Lake Fleet Group. He has spent summers on Axeman since before WWII - 1938; every year since, save only one. Marilee and Joe Lupo live in Ohio and are now annual visitors to the region. They are avid fishermen! Scott Ritson, also hails from Axeman Island and he too returns each summer. |
| | Ryan Evans - A River Gift from Ryan Evans
Ryan Evans is a freshman at Jamesville-Dewitt High School, in Syracuse, NY. This semester Ryan produced this video for his Media Production Class. Ryan spends three seasons of the year on Hill Island with his parents and brother. This fall he shot this video using an iPad. Ryan says, “I can't imagine a life without the River.” |
| | Julie Madlin - Senator Preston King and Congressman John Fine
Julie Madlin is the Ogdensburg City Historian. She has been teaching social studies for 20 years at Heuvelton Central School in Ogdensburg, NY. Julie says, “When I'm not working, I am happy being on the River...” |
What a happy day
It was back on October 18th, 2014; Vicky Basile McCullough posted this photograph on our TI Life Facebook Page.
Within 20 minutes, over 1,000 people had seen it; Vicky explained that a visitor to Boldt Castle, Robin Watson, took a photograph, and she had wanted to find the future bride and groom, to give the photograph as a gift.
Soon the numbers of views kept rising past 5,000, 10,000, 12,000… Then Danielle Schneider asked, “Alexandra Dennison; is this you? I know you recently got engaged in ABay!” Then “Alexandra” replied, “OMG Danielle, yes it is…”
We had our bride and it was confirmed by Amber Dennison; saying, “It was Alexandra Dennison, my twin sister.” By then over 18,712 had seen the post. There were 895 likes. Not bad detective work, eh?
Later that day I interviewed Alexandra and learned the groom-to-be is Nathan Hawley. They live in Cato, New York, a 20 minute drive from Syracuse. Nathan is an union electrician and Alexandra is attending Bryant and Stratton College in the Medical Assistant Program. She will graduate in August 2015.
Alexandra explained, “I had always wanted to visit the river and see Boldt Castle. Earlier this summer a trip was planned, but it had to be cancelled, and I was so disappointed.”
Nathan had been several times before so he suggested they make Saturday, October 11th the day to visit and he organized everything, including the boat tour to Boldt Castle. They spent some time touring the castle and learning about its romantic past.
After their tour, Nathan suggested they visit the gardens, and once down by the water he turned to her and said he wanted her to be part of his life forever, and asked if she would marry him. He got down on one knee and presented her with a lovely ring.
Alexandra says she was so shocked and excited that she could barely say “yes”; but she did, and the young couple will remember that early fall day in the Thousand Islands for the rest of their lives - and thanks to technology – we will too. Since posting, over 38,000 have joined-in, wishing the couple great happiness.
[Note, We are now looking to interview the photographer Robin Watson… Do you know her?]
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More Tech Help
Johnny Truesdell, from ABAY.COM came to the rescue. The Website displayed a notice posted on the Wellesley Island Post Office stating: FOUND on Wellesley Island around 10/13/14 A DJI Phantom DRONE. Need Serial # / proof of ownership. with a contact name Jim and a phone number.
ABay.Com is one of the most popular web-pages in the area, so it did not take long before the owner was found. Ted Booker, staff writer for the Watertown Daily Times took it from there, reporting that Robert J. Reddick had lost the drone that day. He was taking photographs of his property when the drone disappeared. Luckily the drone was found that afternoon by James G. Herkimer, a cottage owner on Wellesley Island, closing up for the season. This will not be the last time this happens, as these flying cameras are becoming more popular and it takes experience to handle them properly.
Be sure to check out the complete WDT story!
RiverQuest’s Video
We are pleased to share this new video RiverQuest made for the Frederic Remington Museum. Another great place to visit as part of your next River Quest… - See more at:
Fall Photographs 2014
Dale Hull entered a contest for B&W photos – Task: One island photograph per day in Black and White. [Click to enlarge]
William Hecht shared this aerial camera shots of Clayton… Note – hardly any traffic in the fall!
A special thanks to all photographers who shared their shots this month. Please enter them again in the 3rd. Annual TI Life Photo Contest.
Please Don’t Forget
Remember our facebook page throughout the month, as we post information and photographs & follow us on 
We also appreciate having you hit our ![donate button[3]](../../../../../../../../Portals/_default/Users/247/47/247/donate_button%5b3%5d.jpg "donate button[3]")
button and donate! We had a problem with US donors using their credit cards, but that has been solved…
Question: Do you write about The River - near to it, from above or below? If so, please consider submitting an article. Let us know what you like, or dislike, about TI Life, so we can all share more ideas. And… most of all; please ask questions and leave comments.
By Susan W. Smith, Editor info@thousandislandslife.com
Special thanks to our editors: David Ray, Jane Taylor, Bill Stallan, Beverly L. Ouderkirk and Georgia Barker.
