From the Editor, March '24

How many of us have already been out on the River? No matter if the answer is yes or no, we’ll all be there very soon. The Seaway opens on March 22, and that means that we are on our way!

Congratulations to Glennis Newton

Glennis Newton spent International Women's Day "In the River." She wrote:

I thought I would share how I celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday afternoon.

I seem to always be coming off a night shift on this day every year, and yesterday was no exception; I left the Pen at 6:30 am and headed for home.

I bought a submerge wetsuit with the idea of being able to get in the River earlier this year and not wait for warmer temperatures. I also purchased a glow in the dark floating chair and felt the need to trial run it before summer. Sadly, it got too windy last night and I could not repeat the float complete with the glow.

I had a comfortable, short float, in the shallows, steering myself with a stick and paddling at times with kayaking gloves (not waterproof).

My toes were a bit chilly in aqua socks, but I kept them dry as much as possible. And I feel I celebrated the important things to me on a day where women should be celebrating the things that drive them and make them who they are.

Yes, Glennis, we are impressed and as we say in this family, we do not impress easily! Congratulations on all fronts!

Total Eclipse, April 8, 2024 

By now you know that our Thousand Islands region is right in the path of the 2024 Total Eclipse.  The total solar eclipse will begin at about 2:09 p.m. and will reach the path of totality (maximum coverage by the Moon) at 3:23 p.m. The full cycle of the eclipse will conclude at 4:35 p.m.

Every community will take advantage of viewing activities - be sure to check out each of their special webpages:  Kingston, Brockville, Thousand Islands Clayton and Alexandria Bay.  Already hotels are getting booked, and boat tours being planned. Make sure you know how to protect your eyes with special glasses or how to build a pin-hole camera.

Also see: Total solar eclipse 2024 maps of the 'path of totality' | Space

Thanks to Todd Pullaw

Our thanks to Admiralty Islander Todd Pullaw, for finding and sharing this past movie reel with TI Life. Enjoy everyone!

TI Life Events for publication

And that reminds me to suggest that you should be checking our Events page throughout the summer. You will want to mark many of the activities on your calendar. And if your favorite organization has something special planned, be sure to send TI Life the answers to the five journalism questions: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

Message from Erin McCarthy Green. "This is the foundational photo I used from the composite, taken with my Nikon camera. It is a cropped version of the original photo I took, with an emphasis on the gull, branches and lots of sky negative space.

The other image is the overlay. I used my phone camera to capture the sun on the River while I was out walking. I am taking an online photography class, and the assignment was to go out and collect textures and light/shadows to use as overlays on composites (multiple exposures). So that is how the final Instagram image came to life.

Watch for our April issue when we profile Erin, who has already been recognized in past TI Life Photo Contests.

Conclusion

Please leave comments or questions or send them to me to post (there is a glitch using some web browsers.)

If you are on or near the River's edge, remember to take photos to let us see what your spring is like in the Thousand Islands. Remember we have a call for River Recipes that can be sent to info@thousandislandslife.com. Easter is coming, do you make something special for your first island overnight?

Have a happy St. Patrick's day and certainly start thinking spring and summer! (Seaway opens on March 22! - Total Eclipse on April 8! and don't forget July 1 and July 4 . . .)

By Susan W. Smith, Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com

And the TI Life Team: Elspeth Naismith is the "Real Editor"; Georgia Barker, Dane Zabriskie, and Rick Taylor are our proofreaders. In addition, Jennifer Caddick handles social media; Dan Mathias posts events; Beth Lavos is posting books; Marie-Anne Erki is our illustrator; and last but not least is Mike Cox, our IT Magician.

March header photo by Karen Millspaugh. Cape Vincent, February 2024 - note the water level!

Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024, From the editor, Events, Photographs