August issue of TI Life is now online

Mid-August and we are posting again! Hard to believe how fast the weeks are flying by and next month it will be fall (hush now). This month we have a full house – some are short, some are long and all are interesting. Enjoy.

Volume 21, Issue 8 August, 2026

From the Editor and Paul's Smile – By Susan W. Smith
Paul Reichter’s TI Life's Cartoon; tribute to Robert Miron; Uncle Sam’s Boat Line turns 100, Half Moon Bay board thanks Doug Goodfellow with a rock!

Louisa Rutherford captured "Le Bellot" on her way past Boldt Castle - 1000 Islands, NY and "Uncle Sam II". Louisa says, she is much larger than one thinks.

The Saint Lawrence Skiffs of Grenell Island – by Larry Asam
The Saint Lawrence skiffs that are seen rowing around Grenell Island have a story all their own.

The Things a Cottage Holds – by Mark E. Russell
When people ask where I am going in the summer, I always give the same answer. “Our family cottage in the Thousand Islands.”

Interesting Islanders: Tales of a National Park Warden – by Michael Laprade
“Bud” Andress spent his 37-year career as a National Park Warden doing his level best to protect the Thousand Islands.

Tom King took this shot a partial fogbow over the Forty Acres, for his article.

“Boy, it’s pea soup out there today”! – by Tom R. King
Fog! That one word can unsettle even the most experienced mariners.

The Life of Part Time River Rats – by Michael Laprade
We took a 125-year-old hand-hewn log cabin that was one good sneeze away from collapsing and somehow talked it into another century.

The Inimitable Susie Smith – by Peter VanSickle
On July 16, 2026, the Museum formally acknowledged Susie Smith - the recognition honoured her energetic, enthusiastic, and supportive service . . .

Pam’s Woods Preserve: A Legacy of Lifelong Love for the Land – Spencer Busler
Pam's Woods Preserve is one of those places—a forest shaped by decades of quiet stewardship, deep respect for nature, and an enduring friendship.

2026 Piano Competition for Young People – by Brian Preston and Maria Purcell
For classical pianist Clayton Stephenson, the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition for Young People was a first stage on his journey to global acclaim . . .

Simple, yet perfect, summer gathering by Kim Kalil

Garden Treasures – by Kim (Bo) Stone Kalil
In my garden amongst such giant showstoppers of delphiniums, lupins, foxglove, and coneflowers, there are tiny beauties with the most delicate of details.

Carl Lueck’s Blueberry Pie – By Carl Lueck
Who can resist a blueberry pie - spring, summer, fall or winter?

Building Boats for the U.S. Navy – by Bonnie Wilkinson Mark
. . . BUT the third bid to the government was a charm. On October 24, 1918, Hutchinson Bros. received a government contract to build four 1200-ton coal scows . . .

We thank author Bonnie Mark for suggesting that her research be published in TI Life. Receiving research such as this is what this editor considers GOLD.

August Poetry - by Gretchen Huntley
I stand looking down at the River, My heart, my body, my mind, Celebrates every single moment, That I am here on island time . . . (Editor's note: The last poem will make you smile, if my age, for sure.)

Tug "Russell" was once a familiar sight in Oswego – by Richard Palmer
A frequent visitor to Oswego and St. Lawrence River ports was the tugboat Joseph L Russell, which primarily transported lumber. She was built at Windsor, Ontario

Dan LeKander’s August ’26 Sudokus - by Dan LeKander
. . . A perfect way of spending a couple of hours in the sun on a dock or tucked away in the shade under a tree . . .

Be well and stay safe,

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