Articles by 'Susan W. Smith'
Freshwater Jellyfish in the Thousand Islands?... “Border fee for Canadians banned by U.S. Senators…” Yes, lots of news in this “TI Life in May 2013.” Plus dozens of photographs representing Spring 2013 - the moon, sunsets, even a dinner party for 30! New contributors and your favorites including Lynn McElfresh and Brian Johnson.
by: Susan W. Smith
Lots of news … First, take a stand-up Jet-Ski ride over ice and water… Our Kim Lunman writes for "BoatUSA" and I introduce our April contributors. The Canadian Park Islands have a new name and we have an update on water levels. We thank those who leave comments for they often lead to new stories about the 1000 Islands…
by: Susan W. Smith
Do you want wind turbines near your island home? Do you worry about water levels? This article provides some thoughts. We also introduce new contributors and share photographs of those places you like the most! It is our largest issue to date.
by: Susan W. Smith
This month’s issue is special. When Hunter Grimes sent his "An essay which is not all about hunting and guns…" I realized right away this was a MUST READ. I got just as enthused when Bill Munro agreed to provide "Nature/Outdoor Photography… We pay tribute to the late Myrna Clark and William (Bill) Browning – and photographers give us pictures
by: Susan W. Smith
This is one of our most ambitious issues… 13 articles… over 130 photographs, special videos including one created on YouTube for TI Life, Seaway 2012, history, an excursion, a book review… and the launch of RiverQuest...Then, ever wonder what was here before? We introduce new Facebook pages featuring vintage photographs … and we show snowbirds how winter 2013 has started..
by: Susan W. Smith
Thanks for putting a thousand islands in your life in 2012 and we wish you and your family a happy and joyous 2013. The...
by: Susan W. Smith
As we launch there are still thousands in NJ, CT, NY, and NYC, suffering from the loss of family, power, homes, and livelihoods - we extend our heartfelt thoughts..... Everyone deserves a “last hit of Summer” so thanks to Great Lake Swimmers give us a new music video… Watch it now!
by: Susan W. Smith
We pay tribute to Chef Gerry and Diane Brinkman, who will not be returning to operate the Wellesley Hotel in 2013.Islanders, mainland residents and visiting mariners are saddened to hear this news…We celebrate the MarCom Award given to “One in a Thousand” and we have pictures of the low water…
by: Susan W. Smith
Yes, that is a truck you see...It was caught on camera by Martin Zonnenberg as the Grindstone Island Barge made its way across the River... We introduce a new book by Chris Brock and poetry by Fred Schmidt... Lots more in this month's issue, enjoy.
by: Susan W. Smith
From the Editor: Do you remember the weather in summer 2011? Well, 2012 has to date, been hotter, sunnier and dryer. So, we are cheering for some(more) rain, particularly for our farming communities. We will soon find out how serious the drought has been for the area, but it has made family reunions, weddings and fundraising events a great success...
by: Susan W. Smith
Nothing screams summer like hot weather, lazy days, motor boats, swimming, fishing, and ice cream! Summer is here! This article will introduce our new contributors, introduce the Plein Air Painters and even provides a job opportunity... and as the summer progresses, we suggest you will take along your camera, smart phone or tablet and take photographs to share with TI Life.
by: Susan W. Smith
This article is both a celebration of the start of summer 2012 and a rant about copyright law. One of our authors discovered that a new, Thousand Islands history book has photographs and text that she had originally written for our e-zine.
by: Susan W. Smith
Did you see the super moon… you can imagine what it looked like rising and setting over the Thousand Islands. Magnificent. This month we present a miracle in photographs, professional golfing news, warn about ticks, question water levels and more…
by: Susan W. Smith
When I learned that Ian Coristine was writing a new book I got excited. As perhaps one of his most devoted fans (his contributions to Thousand Islands Life are immeasurable), I decided...
by: Susan W. Smith
A lot to report this month. I discovered that one of the leading Crime Writers Festivals takes place on Wolfe Island. We present more than a dozen winter photographs and a sneak preview to Ian Coristine's "One in a Thousand". One of the biggest news stories is the announcement of the largest real estate transaction in the Thousand Islands with the sale of Eagle Point properties.
by: Susan W. Smith
It’s mid-winter but it does not feel like it as there is little snow, even in the North Country. In this article we have some lovely images from photographers: Lillian and Paul Cooledge, Dennis McCarthy, Fred Guild, and Debbie Hirshey. We also introduce a new page, "Excursions", with a "Ride up the Rideau" by Tad Clark and invite readers to join our twitter @TILife.
by: Susan W. Smith
Happy New Year! This article introduces a muskie hunter, provides a link to tracking a bald eagle named Hal, looks back on Buoy Bobbing and provides many ways to enjoy winter in the North Country. We thank Ian Coristine for his new “headers” and Lillian and Paul Cooledge for sharing their photographs. And finally, the River is quiet which gives us time to read about it
by: Susan W. Smith
As a gift in December we present History, Poetry, Diving Escapades and 22 Photographs by Thousand Islands photographers. We also pay tribute to Don Ross, new "Keeper of the Islands" and to the late John King and Captain Richard (F.E.) Fawcett. Enjoy this issue and please forward it to a friend.
by: Susan W. Smith
Two important issues this month: the recent announcement that Congress approved a trade agreement with Columbia repealing an exemption of a 5.50 visitor fee to be applied to all Canadians who arrive in the United States by air or sea, and the recent debut of plans to build a hotel in Clayton...
by: Susan W. Smith
We have just completed our Canadian Thanksgiving. We remember cooking our turkey on a cold icy morning, or a windy and blustery day, but this past weekend was just like summer 2011 – warm, sunny and far too nice to be putting on shutters or closing down the water system!
I want to take this opportunity, on behalf of our fellow islanders, our cruising sailors, and the nearby mainlanders, to thank all the marina operators, local business ...
by: Susan W. Smith
September signals the end of Summer … We introduce music by Peg Dolan in a Dennis McCarthy YouTube video; new contributors and two new books. We also report sad news of the deaths of Michael Mead from Grindstone Island and Peter Hendley from Grenell Island. . .
by: Susan W. Smith
Q&A: (1) How many of you sat on your deck (cottage/boat/cockpit) and watched the world go by? Answer: Everyone...
by: Susan W. Smith
Almost everyone has heard about the border problems. Concerned citizens on both sides of the River have sent lette...
by: Susan W. Smith
TI Life in June gives this editor the opportunity to introduce this month’s articles and provide River news - which includes photographs of the Cornwall Brothers Store Museum which lost its roof in the June 8th storm. There is much more... a poem, "Otter's Claim" by Joan A Kimball and a very special letter to the editor… and MikeCox,our volunteer web magician, added a slide show feature to the site this month.
by: Susan W. Smith
Thousand Islands Life Magazine presents 12 articles this month… something for everyone! Not only are the art...
by: Susan W. Smith
This month we pay tribute to Mary Hewitt, from Tar Island and Robert Russell, author of The Island, from Hay Island. We also introduce three new contributors, Judith Gould, Lin Bennett and Portia Legatt. Also we present a new video from Abay.com...
by: Susan W. Smith
There is something special about March. The luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Daylight Savings Time, and yes, the days are getting longer! If you, like many others, have been trying to convey to friends and family elsewhere just how exceptional the Thousand Islands really are, now have two new ways to do it.
by: Susan W. Smith
With all the world turmoil, there’s no better time to ... put a thousand islands in your life!
In addition to introducing this month's articles we bring important news from Clayton, and sadly report that the River has lost another champion...
by: Susan W. Smith
In December, we received Dan Denney’s "Through the Ice - a Tale of Survival". Not only does he explain how dangerous it can be to drive on river and/or lake ice, he gives us techniques for survival which he had to learn the hard way! January's issue also presents history, photographs and more...
by: Susan W. Smith
Love them or hate them, family Christmas letters are here to stay. Here is our family letter:
We published ...
by: Susan W. Smith
Thanksgiving in the United States is just around the corner. Time to sit back and read our e-zine from cover to co...
by: Susan W. Smith
This month our "TI Life" authors look back over Summer 2010. We also introduce four new contributors and we report with pride how our September article, “Gananoque’s Link to Victory”, written by John and Jim Taylor was reprinted with a “Wow Factor” by the Vintage Wings of Canada Foundation.
by: Susan W. Smith
Yes summer is almost over, but what a great one we have had! Throughout the summer we collected photographs from our readers both on "TI Life" and from our Facebook site, and we share some here. We also congratulate Ian Coristine for winning a 2010 Benny Award for his book, "The very best of Ian Coristine's 1000 Islands"...
by: Susan W. Smith
Summer 2010 will be remembered as the one that brought wonderful warm weather, enough water to keep us off the shoals an...
by: Susan W. Smith
July is vacation time and hopefully you are not sitting at your computer but instead enjoying these truly hot, hazy, crazy days of summer. For that reason in July we publish TI Life ‘Lite'. And to help you enjoy the summer, do check this article as we share a new slide show of the Thousand Islands, created by Ian Coristine with the music of Great Lake Swimmers...
by: Susan W. Smith
What a month! Wonderful weather, still going from hot to cold, but some rain and the water level is slightly higher. In addition to introducing our stories, we present links to two great videos. Our Readers Exchange allows us to answer a number of inquiries... This month we also present several follow-up articles. The first is a result of interesting comments about last month’s article by Kim Lunman
by: Susan W. Smith
May 2010 brings hot weather, wind storms, even snow…. but the leaves are out and there is one given – Summer 2010 is on its way. This issue includes farming, restoring the "Magedoma", history, an essay on low water, and the launch of Ian Coristine’s new book, The very best of Ian Coristine’s 1000 Islands. I also have the chance to thank the man…
by: Susan W. Smith
As promised our authors and team members are keeping track of important River issues:
“Many NY State Parks are slated to be closed” … From Governor Patterson after the National Park Service joined the fray… and “Offshore wind turbines in Lake Ontario” The engineer who designed the 86 turbines on Wolfe Island, has been granted approval to build 60 towers in Lake Ontario…
by: Susan W. Smith
TI Life was asked “I wonder why you are not on Facebook? I imagine you would reach a much larger audience (word spreads like wildfire) and you have wonderful photos/graphics that would work well on the site….” So in February we launched Thousand Islands Life Magazine on facebook Groups
by: Susan W. Smith
When the January edition went online three days after the Haitian earthquake. Immediately, we saw River communities participating in the global collection of assistance funds. One group of islanders went beyond the norm. Grindstone Island’s Mark Purcell, of Watertown’s Purcell Construction Corp. offered to buy, and erect, over 700 shelter tents for Haiti and to deliver same, from Florida,
by: Susan W. Smith
“Slow as molasses in January” – I have heard that expression since I was a child, but somehow this year it seems that Ja...
by: Susan W. Smith
How do we pay tribute to our authors for their thousands of words and to Ian Coristine, and many others, for their wonderful photographs? First we thank Paul Malo... then we add Ian's photo of a ship passing under the Thousand Islands Bridge. Stir it all up in the computer and PRESTO - we have 127 articles from 2009.
by: Susan W. Smith
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, but there is certainly more than just turkey and pumpkin pie. The day is about givi...
by: Susan W. Smith
October, when many of us have left the River and are now beginning our winter projects.
Early in September, Judy Well...
by: Susan W. Smith
Since joining TI Life in September 2008, I have happily counted (close to 50) the people who have generously donated the...
by: Susan W. Smith
This month we introduce our August new contributors, Lynn McElfresh, Douglas Goodfellow and Rachel Cole. We also pay tribute to Tom Schwalm who died suddenly at his home on Wellesley Island in July. The River has lost a good friend.
by: Susan W. Smith
When we recorded our 3,000th subscriber, Chris Brock, I wrote to him to say how much we appreciated his interest in "TI Life" and apologized for the lack of a prize as this is a totally-volunteer publication. However, we received a prize from him, a short story - complete with illustrations by Danna Moles!
by: Susan W. Smith
On June 6th subscriber number 3,000 joined TI Life! This month we introduce Capt. Brian Johnson, Robert S. Miner and William Worden and welcome back Phil Chadwick, Kim Lunman, Michael Whittaker, James Rapport and Ian Coristine.
by: Susan W. Smith
Trilliums and Beavers are a sure sign of spring. Sagastaweka Island, has thousands of trilliums to welcome us back to the River and at least one industrious beaver. The first I adore, the latter not so much! Actually there are now other worries for islanders to consider and the list is long...
by: Susan W. Smith
My husband and I opened Sagastaweka Island on April 3 – cold, rainy, and beautiful. Before opening your cottage I sugges...
by: Susan W. Smith
TI Life has a new "Readers' Exchange" where we welcome your short stories of seven-hundred words, or less. Our first sto...
by: Susan W. Smith
What’s happening? The December issue of our magazine comes to you with a new look!
by: Susan W. Smith
Imagine asking the US residents on Washington Island, in Clayton, NY, to change the island’s name back to its original: ...
by: Susan W. Smith
What happened when eight talented artisans got together and brain stormed? A new business was formed which gave lo...
by: Susan W. Smith
I love looking at photographs of the Thousand Islands. In fact, I can never get enough of them, so when I learned that D...
by: Susan W. Smith
Our family came to the Thousand Islands and spent five years visiting the St. Lawrence Islands National Park docks. As a...
by: Susan W. Smith
Wheelock Souvenir China
In early February we received this email from Carol Apperson. Oceanside, Oregon, USA. Car...
by: Susan W. Smith
Were you around this summer to see photographers and videographers with cameras in hand shooting from the air, on boats,...
by: Susan W. Smith
For those of you who wish you were back on the River – be envious. On Thursday, December 13, I had the chance to g...
by: Susan W. Smith
If you were listening to the radio in the Thousand Islands, on the morning of June 20, 2009 you would have heard that a ...
by: Susan W. Smith
Excursions, books & magazines and a special gift to subscribers...all reasons to enjoy TI Life in the Fall, so read more here..
by: Susan W. Smith
“No story of a small privately-owned firm such as Mitchell & Wilson Ltd. can be...
by: Susan W. Smith
When Ian Coristine published One in a Thousand on May 1st, we asked if we at TI Life could be involved in some small way...
by: Susan W. Smith
The 3-ring, leather, binder is the best “read” I have had in many years. Neither a novel or a piece of non-fiction it is...
by: Susan W. Smith
A.W. Bruce Sherman usually wears a cap. On it, in bold letters, is “Art Matters”, and for him it really does. He a...
by: Susan W. Smith
Z – At Zavikon Island, zealous children zig-zag around zebra mussels while Zipper zooms by.
by: Susan W. Smith
Kim Lunman, the owner and publisher of Island Life, founded the annual glossy magazine in 2009. The writer and photograp...
by: Susan W. Smith
Mid-April and lots to report and lots to look forward to! Check out this article as we introduce new...
by: Susan W. Smith
What you see is a photograph from 1965 of the Pot Pourri plying the St. Lawrence River with a Dodge Motor Home
by: Susan W. Smith
Hon. Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, in Ontario, announced on March 7th that the Eagle Point prope...
by: Susan W. Smith
Frank Eames would be called an “amateur historian” which is why his role is not well recognized.
by: Susan W. Smith
“I’m flattered when someone likes my photographs but it’s hard to take a bad picture in the Thousand Islands. Take your ...
by: Susan W. Smith
Most of us go on holiday with our trusty cameras ready to capture our memories, but Robert Hedden travels with a sketch ...
by: Susan W. Smith
It is not often that we hear that legislators and/or government officials in the United States and Canada are “doing som...
by: Susan W. Smith
In late August, I received a copy of Thousand Island Park: The Story of an American Eden, authored by Clayton J. Butler....
by: Susan W. Smith
“My Mom and I have this collection of stereograph cards, and we want to share it,” Tom French told me over the telephone...
by: Susan W. Smith
In July 2011, TI Life published a book review of Saints, Sinners and Sailors of the Gilded Age: A compendium of biograph...
by: Susan W. Smith
If you ask Elliott Hillback how to begin collecting cars he answers with a question: Do you want to drive the car or sho...
by: Susan W. Smith
How many of us wish we could live, work and play golf in the Thousand Islands? James (Jim) Hungerford, who left the Rive...
by: Susan W. Smith
“Saints, Sinners & Sailors of the Gilded Age”, by Rexford M. Ennis and Archeophone Records presents "The High Priestess of Jollity & The Southern Singer."
by: Susan W. Smith
This fact sheet appears on the Canadian Border Services Agency website:
Fact Sheet
July 2011
Simplified cell phone r...
by: Susan W. Smith
Robert Orr, of Lemon Island in the Admiralty Islands, admits he can’t draw and that he is color blind, but his prize win...
by: Susan W. Smith
Heather Chitty found a special way to honor the memory of her late father, this Father’s Day,
by: Susan W. Smith
Imagine if there was no gas station near your home, no mechanic to fix your car, or, when at home, no place to park your...
by: Susan W. Smith
Artist and writer Michael Ringer, gave me the opportunity to peek inside his new book… Ringer’s Mountains & Valleys Northern New York...
by: Susan W. Smith
In April, the website ABay.com published photographs of the crumbling boathouse on Ina Island. The author, aka Joh...
by: Susan W. Smith
Last year at this time I introduced Kim Lunman’s “Thousand Islands Ink” publishing company and her glossy magazine Islan...
by: Susan W. Smith
A visit to Clayton NY on a beautiful day in April gave me the opportunity to take a photograph of the newly appointed ex...
by: Susan W. Smith
Dennis McCarthy inspects one of the frames of the "Iroquoise" in 80 feet of water off Niagara Shoal.
by: Susan W. Smith
The 1st part of my trip was really fun.. the last part 'not so much'.. it was becoming Man vs Wild back there..
by: Susan W. Smith
TI Life’s team member, Michael Folsom will be busy this summer. He is the event organizer for a special happening in Cla...
by: Susan W. Smith
Rex Ennis, local historian and author of Toujours Jeune Always Young: Thousand Islands, Emery and The New Frontenac Hote...
by: Susan W. Smith
Meet John Street – communications expert by profession from San Diego, California and a Thousand Island resident in the ...
by: Susan W. Smith
A new book includes Canada's St. Lawrence Islands National Park...
by: Susan W. Smith
Who knows the correct answer?
If you are a “subscriber” to TI Life, then from November to April, Canadian photographer ...
by: Susan W. Smith
Tom Massey’s was a fisherman, tour boat captain and tug boat skipper, but one of his most important attributes was being...
by: Susan W. Smith
Bill Munro, a photographer with a keen eye, has a simple-and-sensible philosophy about taking pictures: To get great pic...
by: Susan W. Smith
When I met Anthony (Tony) Mollica at a recent gathering, I told him that I...
by: Susan W. Smith
St. Lawrence Pottery located on Route 12N about 5 miles east of Clayton, features John Arnot’s ceramic art as well...
by: Susan W. Smith
It was one of those “hot summer days” when I first watched Thousand Island Park Now and Then. The thirty-minute DV...
by: Susan W. Smith
When TI Life received a photograph of an Osprey fishing for his dinner, we immediately looked for the source. We d...
by: Susan W. Smith
Consistent with our mission of raising the bar, Thousand Island Life seeks to recognize exceptional quality. A new enter...
by: Susan W. Smith
A new book by Rex Ennis...
by: Susan W. Smith
Ian Coristine has constantly told his friends, that "raising the bar" in the Thousand Islands is our Number One task and...
by: Susan W. Smith
Clayton's Fred Schmitt has accepted the Board of Trustees’ offer to succeed John MacLean as Executive Director of the Antique Boat Museum.
by: Susan W. Smith
Kim Lunman publishes the premiere issue of an annual magazine on the Thousand Islands.
by: Susan W. Smith
"...My parents remembered Alexandria Bay when it was only a “wooding station: where boats landed for fuel.
by: Susan W. Smith
As the jacket notes describe: "most charming...
by: Susan W. Smith
The early morning mist drapes...
by: Susan W. Smith
“It is amazing how there are so many Taylor drawings which have been printed and reprinted over the past century – yet so little is known about the man. “
by: Susan W. Smith
Consistent with our mission of raising the bar, Thousand Island Life seeks to recognize special tributes.
by: Susan W. Smith
"Tidd’s Island: a History of its People and Their Stories" was published in July of 2009
by: Susan W. Smith
Tasmania seems like a distant land but for John Carter, Tasmania is a treasure trunk waiting to be opened...
by: Susan W. Smith
Nobody likes Jury Duty, but for Prudence Matthews, in 1992, it was life-changing.
“I knew we could not talk about the t...
by: Susan W. Smith
Finding a particular photograph, identifying an individual or an historic fact is like finding “gold” to a researcher.
...
by: Susan W. Smith
D.F. (Dani) Baker and her partner, David Belding, are the owners of "Cross Island Farms" - one of the region's bes...
by: Susan W. Smith
In 1988 I went to England to carry out research at the National Maritime Archives in Greenwich and the
by: Susan W. Smith
Lynn Beahm, at Arcadia Publishing, sent us several photos of postcards and a description of Arcadia’s recent: Post...
by: Susan W. Smith
It was a cold and rainy day on June 1st – but the invitation to meet Mike Franklin, Patricia Tague and Rhea Jenkner and ...
by: Susan W. Smith
The following was received in mid-April:
Dear Susan,
...
by: Susan W. Smith
"The World is a wondrous place, rich with texture, color and form, where the magic of light creates an ever changing sta...
by: Susan W. Smith
In March we announced that Ian Coristine's photographs were featured in the March
by: Susan W. Smith
This month we welcome Phil Chadwick, aka "Phil the Forecaster", to TI Life, as an artist. Although he trained at ...
by: Susan W. Smith
July 17th will be a special day in Clayton. Two regional arts organizations,
by: Susan W. Smith
Comfort Island is for sale. . . When Paul Malo created Thousand Islands Life in 2006, he created a Properties page...
by: Susan W. Smith
Patricia and Robert Mondore received good news this
by: Susan W. Smith
The January issue was sent in the late evening and by morning my mailbox received comments, questions and offers to contribute. That was great!
by: Susan W. Smith
Kim Lunman wrote about John Keats in our January issue (Of Time and an Author) and we all appreciate the Trilogy written...
by: Susan W. Smith
Andy King spends most of the summer on Black Duck Island in the Admiralty Islands. We say "most" because Andy also...
by: Susan W. Smith
Each month I seek links to the Islands which highlight the area's history and activities, to emphasize why the Islands s...
by: Susan W. Smith
Put a thousand islands in your life...
This, our second month of a new look, is an exciting one. Certainly all the pers...
by: Susan W. Smith
It is with great sadness that we report that Aaron Vogel, Executive Director of the Thousand Islands Land Trust, died su...
by: Susan W. Smith
It is almost Christmas and I am about to buy several boxes of candy to give as presents. Of course I know all about See’...
by: Susan W. Smith
Kristen Pinkney
We are pleased to present Part I of a series to publish a diary, researched and transcribed by Kristen ...
by: Susan W. Smith
This month we cover three special places in the Thousand Islands – Brockville, Clayton and the region itself – t...
by: Susan W. Smith
Hello,
Thank you for the great content you give us on Thousand Islands Life. The photos make you feel like you ar...
by: Susan W. Smith
Many of the officers who fought in the British campaigns during the War of 1812 are commemorated in the Brock Islands. W...
by: Susan W. Smith
October is a hectic month for Islanders and those who summer in the Thousand Islands, for it is often synonymous with cl...
by: Susan W. Smith
It is exasperating' said Capt. William FitzWilliam
by: Susan W. Smith
Throughout the winter, I will provide a number of links to demonstrate how our region of the mighty St. Lawrence River s...
by: Susan W. Smith
When Paul Malo created Thousand Islands Life, the magazine, in 2005, he did so with a hope that much of the "past" would...
by: Susan W. Smith
The Thousand Islands' fine friend, Hal McCarney died on September 16th in Kingston General Hospital. He was 81. ...
by: Susan W. Smith
A compliment, for sure by Susan W. Smith
One day a few weeks ago, I met Ian Coristine and Mike Franklin to discuss the ...
by: Susan W. Smith
More than a Salad Dressing… Years ago, I met a young medical student and I was telling her about my favourite vacation r...
by: Susan W. Smith
The August issue of Thousand Island Life Magazine was dedicated to the memory of Paul Malo. The magazine ...
by: Susan W. Smith