Nature

Red Means Stop (Pruning)

Back when I was a baby arborist, I worked for an old-timer who told me that “The best time to prune trees is when the tools are sharp.”

Volume 19, Issue 10, October 2024
Paul Hetzler

My Summer with TILT - Environmental Education

Clayton's Guardino Elementary School teacher, Kelly Picunas, describes her summer working at TILT as the Community Outreach Assistant.

Volume 19, Issue 10, October 2024
Kelly Picunas

One small island; one hour's search - over 20 different fungi seen !

With the late August rains in 2023 came many fungal fruiting structures. A closer look at a cluster of tiny white dots next to the oak tree revealed that they were a fungus . . .

Volume 19, Issue 9, September 2024
Winifred McGowan

Exploring the Islands’ Interior

In recent years my attention has gradually shifted toward the woodlands, meadows, and wetlands that comprise the islands and mainland interior.

Volume 19, Issue 8, August 2024
Chris Murray

Loons, Terns and Eagles!

Every spring the Saint Lawrence River explodes with life. This year, for some unknown reason, my attention and camera focused on loons, terns, and eagles.

Volume 19, Issue 8, August 2024
Larry Asam

For Sheep’s Sake – It’s About Time that the Zenda Sheep are Baaccck!

Like a breath of fresh air, everything changed in June of 2023 when Mary Ann Duffy arrived with her flock and furry companions. Her mission was simple yet profound: bring baa-ck life to Zenda.

Volume 19, Issue 8, August 2024
Bridgett McCann

Kayaking in the Islands, a photo essay

Jan had the TI Adventures Kayak Shop in Clayton for 25 years, and over those years, he took hundreds of sportsmen out on the River to see what Kayaking was all about . . .

Volume 19, Issue 7, July 2024
Jan Brabant

Blind Bay Public Meeting

The River community must stay unified with its message to Site It Right. TILT, STR, and the Blind Bay Coalition emphasize the importance of community involvement in protecting Blind Bay’s environment and preserving the waterfront character.

Volume 19, Issue 6, June 2024
Jake Tibbles

Finding Peace in Nature: The Path to Mental Well-Being

“Have you reached nirvana yet?” my family and friends often joke, acknowledging the tranquility that nature offers.

Volume 19, Issue 6, June 2024
Bridgett McCann

Mesmerizing!

The one word that fittingly describes the gentle, waving, dance of a rolling meadow in the midday breeze . . . But as family farms grow fewer, their hayfields, pastures, and meadows are falling victim to fragmentation, residential development, conversion to solar, and simple abandonment . . .

Volume 19, Issue 5, May 2024
Bridgett McCann

River Shoreline Erosion Problems? NY Sea Grant Can Help

Shoreline erosion is a constant issue for waterfront property owners. The action of wind, water, and ice against the shore impacts the natural environment and manmade structures . . .

Volume 19, Issue 5, May 2024
Kara Lynn Dunn

The Drummer

The call of the Pileated Woodpecker is not only distinctive but even sounds somewhat otherworldly . . . and sure enough, as soon as I opened the door, I spotted him having his breakfast on a tree overlooking the River.

Volume 19, Issue 4, April 2024
Patty Mondore

$ave Some Green

. . . answers to questions about family property transitions, keeping islands and mainland properties as you’ve loved them, and options for making a sale and not losing out.

Volume 19, Issue 4, April 2024
Don Ross

Fog!

Nothing makes me jump out of bed faster than a long blast from a ship’s horn. I look out the window and see nothing but – FOG . . .

Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024
Larry Asam

Oh Snap!

When I first spotted the giant turtle at the side of the road, I have to admit that my first thought was that it had a face only a mother (turtle) could love . . .

Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024
Patty Mondore

Ice Boats of the Thousand Islands

The frozen St. Lawrence River has been a means for safely transiting from island to island in winter . . .The ice also gave birth to iceboats as a means to safely cross the frozen body of water.

Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024
Rick Casali

Driving On Ice

Ssshhhh!! Don’t tell anyone! Especially not my Mother! We were teenagers and figured that we were sneaky enough that no one would ever notice. (uh huh, right – you believe me, don’t you?!)

Volume 19, Issue 2, February 2024
Sarah Telfer

Episode 2: How Roscoe Fish Got His Name (Part l)

Roscoe’s story began in a place far away from the Thousand Islands. His parents were not St Lawrence River fish at all. He was spawned in the pristine waters of the Willowemoc River in upper New York State, near Trout Town, USA . . .

Volume 19, Issue 2, February 2024
Sarah Bodine