December 1st brings with it the first winter wallpaper image of the season with the hope it brings back warm memories of a place we all appreciate. If you know the location of this scene, don’t be shy to share it as well as any River stories it might prompt.
This past summer was an interesting one for certain, with historically high water levels following several years of decline. It is said that the Great Lakes are simply giant puddles left behind by retreating glaciers. Despite the inconveniences many suffered from this year’s highs, I’m pleased that the trend has at least been temporarily reversed.
I’d like to remind you about TI Life Magazine’s 6th annual photo contest. The photos it elicits are intended as a Christmas present to the River community. These scenes, seen through your eyes, are particularly interesting because they often reveal places most aren’t familiar with. Please submit your three favorite TI images to Susie Smith TI Life's editor before the 6th of December, which is coming fast.
Speaking of images and Christmas, forgive me for mentioning that Thousand Islands photography books (or prints from them) make a very appropriate gift for River lovers. I’ve published seven books, though most are sold out. However, I hoarded a couple of cases of each, and would prefer that they go to islanders who appreciate them rather than collect dust.
Volume I sold out years ago and I’ve been told that copies have sold for substantial amounts (as much as $400!) to people who wish to complete their collections. The few remaining copies are precious, so will set you back $200, but I do have a few available. Overviews of all the books with ordering information can be found on our site.
I’m very disappointed to mention that Volume VI ("One in a Thousand") is no longer available. This was an interactive eBook for iPad which included hundreds of images, videos, music and narration. It told the unlikely story of my discovery of the River, the resurrection of a bug infested island cottage and the adventures that ensued when I fell into an unexpected publishing career.
“One” was a collaborative effort by many people, pushing the boundaries of interactive books. Only one other such book has been created, "Our Choice" by Al Gore. Unfortunately, the software company which made his book and this form of storytelling possible was purchased by Mark Zuckerberg and closed, with the technology being used exclusively by Facebook. Other books in this genre have not been forthcoming because of the lack of software to produce them.
I had been extremely fortunate to find a passionate River lover, whose company brought our book to life in all the ways I had envisioned. They have since undergone significant changes, so when Apple’s recent iPad IOS 11 update required all Apps to be redesigned to 64 bit (whatever that means), rather than the previous 32, they are no longer able to do it. I’d love to see it happen, but knowing of no affordable solution to update "One," it will simply cease to exist. A warning. If you have it and wish to keep it, don’t upgrade to IOS 11 or it will vanish. Should you know of someone who might be able to update the App, please let me know.
Lastly, I’d like to mention that Lyne and I have a cottage at the entrance to Jones Creek (part of Thousand Islands National Park) which serves as our access point to the island. It’s available as a summer rental should you know of someone responsible looking for a beautiful spot on the River.
We are very fortunate to have homes in two extraordinary places. Our small home in Provence, France is also on offer (very affordably) for vacation rentals during summer months. It overlooks a vineyard in Séguret, (officially) one of France’s most beautiful villages, deep in wine country. For more information and recently updated pictures of the home and extensive images of "What's Nearby" in the south of France, check out our site. Two stunning places to keep my camera happy! It's hard to get luckier than that.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Ian Coristine
