Whether you experience years of intimate contact with nature, or a cherished golden afternoon of unsupervised play in the woods, it’s clear that exploration of the natural world creates lasting effects on an individual. It often inspires the legacy they leave behind. We hear this about the Thousand Islands; that it leaves its mark on people, carving rich stories on their hearts. Each island holds a special place in someone’s heart and as we zoom in on the magic of Grindstone Island, these stories unfold and the heritage behind these legacies shines.
Our surroundings often resonate with the wonder of what we are leaving behind. From the family photos hanging on the cottage walls, to an enchanting glimpse of a doe and her fawn, to a yellow halo of butterflies gracing a shoreline christening, the River is filled with memory and those who are working to keep the heritage alive. We recently spent an afternoon with one such memory keeper on Grindstone Island.
As we sat on the very porch that her Grandfather, Father and Uncle built with their bare hands so many years ago, the past revealed itself through stories and shared laughter. Wonderment at the world of days gone by and inspiration found in the natural world colored our afternoon. A misty rain drifted in, hiding the sun’s rays as they peeked through the clouds. Suddenly, a faint rainbow appeared and stretched out over the River. Songbirds flitted about from tree to tree; their soft twittering floating down from the branches. It was one of those profound magical moments that captivated our senses and made our connection to nature certain.
Janice McPhail’s heritage, and her powerful family legacy is centered on Grindstone Island. This Island is carved on her heart and unforgettable moments in nature have made her and her family’s lives life richer. With each ray of sunshine and songbird sighting, to a peaceful breeze through the trees, these moments are reminiscent of the past and provide hope for a healthy future for the land and River that continue to shape our days.
At the end of WWII, Janice’s grandfather Haskell bought a farm outside Rochester, raised livestock and plowed the fields. From an early age, Janice loved being out on the land, in the company of animals and running free through the green fields of her grandparent’s farm. She remembers loving to ride on his lap on the tractor, “I was his shadow on that farm,” said Janice. She reminisced about holding and caring for baby pigs, picking corn, baling hay, and picking flower blossoms to hold “hollyhock weddings” on the farm. With acres of land, a creek and a pond with visiting waterfowl, her days were wonder-filled in the outdoors. Every season included outdoor play whether it be skating, sledding or going to a local park.
Following a successful career in academic administration, Janice returned to the Thousand Islands and bought the family cottage from her grandparents. Almost immediately she experienced an abundance of bird species that she didn’t remember seeing during her childhood. “I saw songbirds, black and gray squirrels, raptors and the connection was made: pollution leads to an unhealthy landscape resulting in an unhealthy River. And that was what was happening around here, we were destroying the River,” said Janice.
It was during this time that her parents, Bruce and Elaine Brooks, were active members of TILT and when Janice met Ken Deedy. His message of saving the habitat and conserving the land in order to keep it healthy resonated with her. “All of a sudden it’s my thing to make sure our environment is healthy,” she said.
Many believe the greatest legacy anyone can leave behind is to positively impact the lives of others. “I get my greatest inspiration from people,” said Janice. She went on to say that it is “their energy, ideas, and insights that give me so much satisfaction.” Her years of volunteer service with TILT “were so fun to work together towards a common goal and to help effect positive change.” Janice has served as a Trustee for the past seven years and is a member of the Thousand Islands Forever Legacy Program. Her impact on present and future generations through her time given to TILT’s mission goes beyond words and TILT is ever grateful.
“Being a part of TILT has given me an opportunity to be a part of helping something that is bigger and greater than I am,” said Janice. Today, Janice believes her parents would be very excited about the accomplishments TILT has made and how we have situated the organization in a positive direction for the future. “My parents would love that we are doing strategic planning. I learned about setting goals at the dinner table and positioning myself for opportunities and what TILT is doing now mirrored my parent’s morals,” Janice said.
Her family’s legacy is reflected in and lives on through her own choices. Janice recently had the opportunity to give back to the nonprofit organizations on Grindstone that are “dear to her heart.” By acknowledging those carvings on her heart, she found a way to make a difference. Janice “wanted the sale of her parent’s cottage to do some good for the greater community.” She expressed how this was her way to say thank you for the experience that her family gave her in the Thousand Islands. “This Island is part of my heritage, and my legacy and this gift was my opportunity to show my gratitude to the organizations that are on the Island making a difference,” she said.
Grindstone Island is a step back in time. Its legacy has been maintained through the preservation of its ancestral way of life and its natural beauty. Knowing our stories, where we come from and protecting these legacies is important to people. As a member of the Thousand Islands Forever Legacy Program Janice’s support helps TILT reach its conservation goals, and her guidance drives TILT to keep reaching for the stars. The land conserved is forever protected and through this program’s dedicated members like Janice, this special place will be healthy and beautiful for all that live, work, and play here, especially our children, our children’s children and forevermore.
In 2021, at her Dad’s celebration of life, Janice stood at a pulpit on the front lawn – it had been built in 1952 for her Mom’s birthday. While reading a prayer, she looked up to see a beautiful bald eagle fly by. The crowd followed her gaze. The eagle was so very close that you could see its golden eyes. It swooped and came back by the gathering twice more and then was gone. The songbirds were naturally on its tail and everyone had a look of pure amazement. And at that moment, “we all knew that it was a sign from my Dad, and there was my Mom pecking at his feet. It was one of the most special moments in all my life. I have never seen an eagle that close,” said Janice. When magic is that strong, nature is almost always involved.
From farm to River, Janice’s childhood spent outdoors shaped her into who she is today. Summers on Grindstone were filled with getting “mucked up in the swamp, making cattail root tea, fishing and just running the rocks”. That is what made her love of nature grow and flourish. Two different experiences, both so deeply rooted in nature which made it the perfect combination for the development of a strong connection to the land and all it has to offer for a lifetime.
Today she continues to spend her summers at the cottage on Grindstone making memories with her husband Dan and two pups, Murphy and Brody. After 20 years of hosting the annual Chili Cook off, they have passed this tradition on but enjoy showing the magic of Grindstone to all who desire to know it.
