Have You Met Captain Turner?

I spent the day on the St. Lawrence River and visited Singer Castle in Canada and Boldt Castle in NY.  You are probably wondering how I got to drive the paddle wheeler.  It was announced that children under the age of 12 could come down and steer the boat.  Then it was announced that if there was any single women on the boat, the captain invited them to come down and drive.    Well... I am very single.

It was a beautiful day and perfect for a river cruise.  

In order to be consisted an island, the land must be visible 365 days a year and support at least one tree.   Pullman Island was owned George Pullman the inventor of the Pullman sleeper rail car.  He is credited with exposing the 1000 islands to the world.   Cherry Island has three mansions,  one for Strauss who was one of the co-owers of the Macy's Department store, and  pasteurized milk foundation to provide pasteurized milk to infants to combat infant mortality. The second mansion is called Casablanca, the third home is Kellogg whose owners were known for their corn flakes.  The second largest island is Wellesley Island.

 The first stop was an hour away from the dock in NY at Singer Castle. The castle is on Dark Island in the 1000 Islands area.  Actually there are 1864 islands but who is counting. Singer Castle straddles the US border and  Canada. The sun rises in the states and sets in Canada. The castle was constructed in 1905 by American  Frederick Bourne who was the fifth president of Singer Sewing Machines.  Mr. Bourne commissioned Ernest Flagg to design a castle hunting lodge.  Flagg had recently read a book called Woodstock by Sir Walter Scott which was set in the a hunting lounge castle.  Flagg incorporated descriptions of the book's castle complete with towers, turrets, secret passageways, and underground tunnel, and even a turret dungeon. The castle contains 28 rooms, 10 fireplaces, 8 bathrooms as well as 2 boathouses, 2 icehouses, a skiff house and a bath house.

The castle is now owned by Dark Island Tours, a qroup of Canadian businessmen that buys castles and resells. The castle and grounds are beautiful.

We started in the library

Singer Sewing machines are everywhere in the house.  All donated.

Passing the wine closet that also has a secret passage for the servants.

Lady of the house??????

The man of the house had the high headboard and the lady the low one.  Also, the beds were far apart.

Secret passageway in the linen closet

Breakfast room

Once we left Singer Castle it was a slow hour cruise going to Boldt Castle.  

We passed Millionaires Row.

I still have been trying to figure out this one.

Non-working lighthouse

On the way to Boldt Castle, we were told that this home was for sale.  I do not have enough room for the zeros that it would take to tell you the price.

Boldt Castle is very impressive as you arrive.   The castle is located on Heart Island, and was built as a testimony of the unsurpassed love of a man for his wife.  George Boldt adored Louise, she died while the castle was under construction so George stopped the building of his elaborate summer home.  There were three hundred workman that lost their jobs the day the telegram arrived.  After years of neglect, vandalism, and the elements, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority purchased the castle and has done major renovations to show the grandeur that was to be.

Boldt Castle

This was to be the master bedroom of the house for Mrs. Boldt.

The Yacht House

Mr. Boldt's Master Bedroom

  

I had never seen black peppers until I was walking along a path at Boldt Castle.

I had a really lovely day on the water. If time had permitted, I would have taken a lunch cruise. Next time...

When I first arrived in Alexandria Bay, I went to the Handweaving Studio in Clayton, NY.  Upon arrival, I was told that the exhibits change  often since the building became an art center so I would not be able to see any handweaving except on line.  If I came back the next day, I would see how blacksmithing has become art.   

When a lady heard that I was a weaver, she invited me back to meet a group of ladies that was finishing up their projects from a double weave class.   

How nice it was to talk to people that understood why I love to weave.

I am spending the evening spinning and knitting.   Let's see what tomorrow will bring, my last day in Alexander Bay, however  you have to see the entrance to this campground.

Walking back from getting ice cream, I saw a giant ice cream cone in the window of an RV

I was trying not to be noisy but I had to ask WHY!!

I was told by the owners that it was a conversation piece.  People always stop by and ask WHY!!! she said. 

Last night I heard a "Hello",  I looked out and it was one of the ladies from the weaving studio.  The owner of the camp was telling her that another weaver was in the campground and had went to the weaving studio.   She had to come by to see if it was me.   It had a lovely conversation about weaving and that I needed to come back next year for a class.  I showed her my double weave throw since they were working on double weave in the workshop.   She was impressed because you could hardly see the line that shows that the throw was woven in half.