Lazy, Hazy, Crazy days of summer . . . I am proud of the fact that I heard Nat King Cole sing those words a couple of years ago . . . and I still sing them out loud when nobody is around! This summer has been exactly like that except for the fact that lazy days and beautiful weather brings more guests and more events! I hope that you’re enjoying summer 2024 as much as I am!
Dog Days of Summer are Not So Great
Soon after we posted TILife's July '24 issue, we realized that the news from the US Customs and Border Patrol office was not only worrisome but complicated. Readers called for more information because on August 1st, the new regulations stipulated that the process for bringing your dog back and forth across the border from the US to a Canadian island and back to the US, meant far more regulations and paperwork.
I wish I had the final information down pat, but as of Thursday July 8th, the Watertown Daily Times NNY360 News Alert, written by Alex Gault (agault@WDT.new) announced, "A slate of new U.S. border rules requiring dog owners to have documentation that their pet has been vaccinated against rabies and has a microchip went into effect a week ago, despite pushback from dog owners, breeders, and U.S. border-district politicians. (For those with access to NNY360, we recommend you read the whole article.)
We are still not completely sure of the final requirements. The original problem stemmed from people passing through Canada legally, or in a dog smuggling operation from foreign countries that still have rabies. As a result, those of us living on the border will definitely pay a bureaucratic price.
Since the major announcement hit the news networks, the information for implementation has been sketchy. Be sure to check with the CDC website and also the US Border Patrol and take advantage of their phone number – 888-232-6348.
Roscoe Fish Stories
The Roscoe Fish Stories end this month, and I encourage you to read – and to reread – this special series. Some forty years after the fact, Sarah Bodine recreated the stories of her childhood as told by her uncle, John Keats, and compiled them into a book. All of her cousins assisted with the memories, although as she noted, each one remembered only a snippet of each story, but eventually an extremely helpful fish name Roscoe came to life. My favourite was his visiting an underwater diner located in the hull of a sunken tour boat off of Rockport. It does not take much imagination to “see” what Roscoe and his fish friends get up to underwater.
Sad News
We learned recently that Jane Hanson, who grew up on Hemlock Island, died this month in Pembroke, ON. Jane and her husband, Robert, were well-known on the River and particularly for helping to revive the Half Moon Bay services in the 1980s. They were long-time summer residents on Hay and Stave Islands, before building a home on the mainland, then moving to Oakville, and eventually to Petawawa, ON. Throughout that time, Jane became involved in many community activities. Her love of the River, and the marks she left on each of her communities, will last forever.
We also learned this week that Richard (Dick) Munro died in Naples FL. on August 11. For many of us involved in River organizations such as Save the River and Thousand Islands Land Trust, Dick and his wife Carol, were the centrepins for so many River accomplishments. I encourage you to read Dick’s full obituary, and for those of us who had the pleasure of pulling up at the Munro dock on US Bluff Island or Murray Isle, or attending a TILT winter gathering in Naples at the Munro's (year in and year out) we all agree they were the most charming hosts. Thanks Dick, we miss you already.
Summer photos
Conclusion
Our appreciation goes to everyone who helped make the August issue of TI Life a fun one on the River, once again bringing the words Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days back to mind -
Be sure to leave comments or questions on the articles. If you have trouble posting them, send them directly to me to post.
By Susan W. Smith, Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com
And as usual, the ‘culprits’ on the TI Life Team: Elspeth Naismith, our “Real Copy Editor;” Georgia Barker, Dane Zabriskie, and Rick Taylor are our proofreaders. With Jennifer Caddick, who handles social media; Dan Mathias, who posts events; Beth Lavos posts books; Marie-Anne Erki is our illustrator; and last, but absolutely not least, is Mike Cox, our IT Magician.
Our August header photograph is by Sandra Adams with the appropriate caption, "Good Evening Brockville."
Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 8, August 2024, From the editor, People
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