Not to be outdone by the Hamlet of Katonah, the sister hamlet of Bedford Village in the town of Bedford, New York will enjoy their Indian Summer Days with a Historic Village Treasure Hunt sponsored by the Bedford Historical Society.

Planned for Saturday, September 11 with a rain date for Sunday the 12th, it will be from 11am-3pm.

It will help children re-sharpen their skills in the early days of the fall semester! There will be Treasure Hunt bags, maps and tricorner hats! The family walking tour along the Village Green will include historic buildings and landmarks with treasures to collect along the way.

To give it true revolutionary flair, there will be a re-enactment of musket drills on the Green and colonial games. Did you know that the current library was the school house? Well, you will be able to ring the bell atop the building the way they used to call the children to school!

The fire department will have an antique truck on display and will host a cookout. Pony rides and children’s music by “Music Together” will further enhance the day. For more information call 914-234-9751 or go to their website www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.com

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Short and Simple - a quick walk around Katonah on a Saturday has its special delights. I first stopped into the Katonah Village Library to see the endeavors of Bedford’s Hopp Garden Club and pick out a new Summer book having finished the Katonah Museum of Art Selection. I was astounded at the creativity and the work that was put into the installation - for only two days of exhibition time!

Then around the corner I found a sign attached to the venerable sign of Kelloggs & Lawrence Hardware Store which was quite techy for a hardware store that also features an old fashioned barrel of peanuts for your enjoyment!! “Visitor ‘i’ Information Center - The Katonah Chamber of Commerce” was the sign. I popped in and found proprietress Diana Tyler at the counter and she was pleased to show me a rack which holds the various brochures about Katonah and our local institutions such as The Katonah Museum, Caramoor and a historic village walking tour. The Katonah Chamber of Commerce has deemed it a central location for visitors and residents alike for info regarding new exhibits, locations and events.

So pop into Katonah, enjoy the sites, the Victorians that were moved into the green space created over one hundred years ago and have some fun, enjoy the unique shops and some great food at our many eating spots. The village is right at the train station so a ride from the City or other points is very easy! 

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Live Like A Star!

Yes, indeed, about a hundred years ago Broadway Actress Bessie Tyree had married James S. Metcalfe, theater critic for “LIFE” Magazine, and they had an estate in the early 1900s on the current site of the Bedford Hills Memorial Park and the luxury condos of “Lakeside at Bedford.”

Bessie Tyree was one of the Founding Members of the American Theater Wing. A group of seven prominent Broadway Actresses met when the first storm clouds were gathering for what became known as The Great War - WWI. They formed to aid in the war effort. They enlisted help from all of Broadway – from actors to stagehands to wardrobe mistresses. Stage Women’s War Relief provided free meals and entertainment to soldiers in the heart of Broadway. These venues became known as The Stage Door Canteens. They also travelled to entertain the troops. They used their public speaking abilities and star power to raise seven million dollars in War Bonds - a tidy sum at the time.

Bessie summered with her husband on Lake Marie. She also was one of the first members of the Bedford Garden Club. She used her talents and organizational skills to raise money for the building of the Bedford Hills Community House. She organized plays as fundraisers and her two-day Harvest Fairs became an annual tradition to maintain and support programs at the Community House.

You can live today on this beautiful spot overlooking Lake Marie in the condos of Lakeside at Bedford. This small complex of Condos on Lake Marie Lane are walking distance to the Bedford Hills Train, Town and the Bedford Hills Memorial Park which provides swimming, tennis and day camps. It is a minute away from the Saw Mill River Parkway and 684. The hamlet of Bedford Hills has a Post Office and many chic shops, eateries and services. I love to get off the Train and tuck into a table for a great meal at Nino’s Restaurant which is just steps away. Bedford Hills is in between the other local attractions of Katonah and Mt. Kisco. A ride across Bedford Center Road takes you into Bedford Village which also has the makings of a great Movie Night - Meetinghouse Restaurant and The Bedford Playhouse. The precursor to the station car was the stagecoach route that carried residents to and from the new train line. The Katonah Museum and Caramoor are also close - home of The International Music Festival – which provides concerts, lectures, exhibits and activities for all ages…

My Listing on Lake Marie Lane, one of the largest units with over 3000 sq ft., is at the best location, boasts a two-car garage, is an end unit with a private entrance, has gleaming hardwood floors, 3 bedrooms and four baths. It has 4 levels of living space. Each level has a view of Lake Marie including 2 decks. The eat-in kitchen offers a charming spot for meals. There is a large formal dining room and living room complete with a marble fireplace. The master suite with luxury bath, has a large finished loft that can serve as an ideal home office. There is a large family room with sliders out to a patio area on the lower level with a half bath and laundry. There is a great deal of storage space.

This is a great transitional home from city to suburb for young couples, plus an alternative for an empty nester/down-sizer with great quality of life and space without having to leave the area. Easy Condo Living with low taxes. Once again - walk to train, town and park!

If you have any further questions please contact me at or 914-232-1212 x342

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Is the enthusiasm to head to camp or the pool beginning to wane? Well, take your children and go “Make a Splash & Read!” at The Bedford Hills Free Library! At the Bedford Hills Free Library there is “Wacky Wednesdays” for those aged 4 and up at 4 pm - just when we all begin to fade on these hot summer days. Enjoy a story, a game or a craft. Knowing the storytellers at the Library, they are in for a treat!

Then there is a “Summer Reading Game” which continues until August 13 with the promise to take a folder of good reads back to school in the Fall! There are reading incentives, prizes and a wrap-up with an end-of-Summer Party. Contact the Library for more enrollment information: 914-666-6472 BedfordHillsFreeLibrary.org

Read more about the happenings at the Katonah Library and even more at the Bedford Village Library.

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

The award winning Hopp Garden Club of Bedford will have their show “It’s Written in The Stars” at The Katonah Village Library on Friday, July 23 from 2-4 pm and Saturday, July 24 from noon until 5.

With a zodiac theme, the members have undoubtedly planned very original pieces representing the signs of the zodiac with the use of both fresh and dried flowers.

There will be classes offered and other activities.

It is open to the public and admission is free!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Based on the success and great interest of one of my last posts on the programs that are offered for children from tots to teens at the Katonah Village Library,  I thought to see what the Bedford Village Free Library had to offer!

For the youngest members of the community (12-30 months) there is still time to register for “Musical Mother Goose.” The next session will start Wednesday, August 4. The program is at 10:15 in the morning. I remember reading when I had my own children that Nursery Rhymes are important because they have their own rhythm and it leads to a love of reading - combine this with music and I am sure you have a winner!

For the age 4 - 3rd graders there is “Story & Craft Time.” They are broken up in age groups. They meet on Wednesday afternoons. “Beach Bingo” sounds like a great deal of fun!

There is still time to quickly call and get included in the following programs :

• Tuesday, July 20, join the New Canaan Nature Center when they visit the Library with their “Slimy & Scaly” friends. Age 5-3rd grade.
• There is an Origami class on Tuesday, July 27 at 4pm. This is for 4th & 5th Graders.
• On the Friday the 30th of July, at 4pm there is a digital camera class for 4-5th graders.

Call to Register: 914-234-3570

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Have a child or teenager that is tired of waiting for the next big movie to open or the latest game to come out? Reintroduce them to the Library! Besides the joy of walking out with an armload of books, programs include:

• Summer Pre-School Story Times: Splish Splash Book Bash, Baby Lap Time, Mother Goose, Toddler Time, Stories and crafts
• Water, Water Everywhere - A Photo Contest for ages 11-18 in age appropriate groups
• Poetry Writing Workshop for ages 7-10
• Book, Snack & Chat - 10-12 years
• Watercolor Painting for Teens
• Iced Tea & A Book - a Teen Time Program

You also may have a chance to still join a Chess Class!

If you want to learn more ways that we “keep our cool” in the Town of Bedford feel free to contact me. There are some homes on the Market within walking distance to the Library and the Parks and pool! Enjoy your Summer!

The Katonah Library - 914-232-3508 www.katonahlibrary.org

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

When you hear the first strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” your heart quickens and there is an instant lump in your throat. For several of the local high schools such as John Jay, Fox Lane and North Salem High Schools, the venue is Caramoor. When I saw the John Jay purple and white robes beginning to descend the stairs, I welled up.

I have “graduated” both of my children now and once again I am full of thought. I hope that these graduates realize that although they are leaving for colleges across the country, they may feel that they are headed for a better place, that their home base has had so very much to offer them. As I wrote to my daughter in her graduation card - “do not forget all of the wonderful things in your life that brought you to this moment.”

On July 4, my newly graduated daughter Allison and I attended the “Pops, Patriots and Fireworks” concert at Caramoor. It featured The Orchestra of St. Luke’s with Michael Barrett as Conductor. We enjoyed the traditional Star Spangled Banner, for which we all stood and sang along and a piece from Danbury, CT native, composer Charles Ives.

A new addition was Rob Schwimmer on the Theremin. The Theremin is a very Caramoor instrument. It was the first electronic instrument which was invented by Leonid Theremin. Lucie Rosen, wife of Walter Rosen, owners of Caramoor and founders of the Music Festival, met him and Lucie was mesmerized by the Theremin. She learned to play it with such proficiency that she performed worldwide with symphony orchestras. There are two on display in the Music Room of the home and is a part of the docent tours. It deals with sound waves and it also produced what was known as ether music.

Rob Schwimmer played the Scene d’Amour from the Hitchcock film “Vertigo.” I had known before that Hitchcock enjoyed the voice, the eeriness of the theremin and I include that mention in my tours. (it was also included in “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys!) When the string section started up you knew the moment of the film in which the obsessed Scottie Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) is enthralled by the duplicitous Madeleine (Kim Novak). It was perfection due to the use of the theremin. The theremin then added the female voice to the two Gershwin classics : “The Man I Love” and “Summertime.”

The fireworks were over the top wonderful but my true happiness came when upon our return home, Allison went through my classic movie collection and found “Vertigo” to enjoy with her friends. She had seen it before but now the theremin was “new” to her.

That is how life is here on Museum Mile. On the same day at the John Jay Homestead they had fife and drum groups and the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Alan Weinreb, the curator and director added that the resolution to become the 13th state to endorse the Declaration was written by John Jay and the document was then signed in White Plains since New York City, the then Capitol of the state was under siege by 10,000 British soldiers. Spectators were then invited to sign a copy to perhaps sense the importance, the feeling of signing it.

The Katonah Museum now has me deep into the book of their first exhibit-related Book Club. The Exhibit is “Cuba Avant - Garde, Contemporary Cuban Art from The Farber Collection” and the book is “Telex from Cuba” by Rachel Kushner. I actually did not go to a Second Saturday Cocktail Party since I had just been to another Open to the Public lecture there. So much a girl can do!

To live your life, grow up or to raise a family in this environment, along with the happenings in town, the Schools and the wonderful Libraries is to live a very enhanced life.

If you would like to further explore your options to live in this area, please contact me: 

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Last Thursday evening at the KMA there was the lecture “Utopia/Dystopia: The Politics of Art in Cuba” by Dr. Damien Fernandez, Provost of SUNY Purchase. Dr. Fernandez who is Cuba-born was also the Director of The Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

Dr. Fernandez gave his talk appropriately against the backdrop of Tonel’s “Self Portrait of a Ship (Four Pyramids)” - a sinking ship bearing both the likeness of Tonel and Mother Cuba. The four pyramids on the bottom of the sea upon which the ship rests allude to the ancient lost Atlantis and perhaps the hope that it will also be discovered once again.

Cuba was discovered by Cristobal Colon/Christopher Columbus in 1492. Therefore it has the same “start time” as the U.S. The people of Cuba always had the firm belief that they were always the greatest island in the Caribbean. They were “simply the best.” They were the biggest island with the biggest dreams. Even the talk was big. Think of Castro and his speeches. Their National Identity was the search for a Cuban Utopia. The lofty goals were to achieve The New Man & The New Woman living in Heaven on Earth. It is always a case of Utopian Dreams not fulfilled, therefore the Dystopia.

Cuba had a very lively artistic community involved with art, music and poetry. Their Conservatory was held in high regard worldwide. Cuba hit the wall economically with both their sugar and tobacco trade. There was little room for growth and expansion. This dissatisfaction was strong also among the many university educated young people. This dissatisfaction and the corruption of the Battista Regime led to the Revolution in 1959. The artistic community backed the Revolution at the time.

What they did not see coming in 1961 was Fidel Castro’s turn to Marxist/Leninist Ideals.

Then the U.S. blockade came….which is still in place today. State Control was enforced then on every aspect of Cuban life. Once the Soviet Union fell in the early 90s and they lost their subsidies it became known as “the Special Period” - a time of great scarcity and decay. Artists were known to use scavenged cardboard for their canvases. The Farbers found pieces of art not matted and framed and on display but rolled up and in someone’s attic. Their culture became duplicitous. There was a dual morality. There was one thing they could express in public and another they would share in only the privacy of their homes. It was the politics of location. Artists were by then out of the political game. The State did not approve of any depiction of sex, homosexuality, religiosity or Afro Cubanism. This was against their goal of everyone being Cuban, the same. The hero was dead.

Dissident artists were put in the sugar cane fields, were not allowed to produce records or display their art in galleries. They became personas non gratis. They were eliminated from lists of organizations and curriculums in schools and colleges.

The country is in ruins from their former Paradise. There are several pieces in the exhibit that depict that decay plus the effects of the blockade. The blockade is felt internally as well as externally - down to the core of the Cuban people. These works would not be shown in The Cuban Museum.  Over time, Museum heads and Librarians have begun to aid artists. Many have expatriated to other countries. The Farbers, among others have had to devise ways even if through the Ministry of Culture with their requisite seal to procure these pieces of art.

The question now - where do we find redemption for this Nation? Are there new Possibilities? This show at the Katonah Museum is therefore a very brave show and something indeed very special. The exhibit will be in place until September 19, 2010. Go to www.KatonahMuseum.org for more information and the many activities linked to this exhibit - including a new exhibit-based Book Club!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Want the elegance of another era with the convenience and amenities of today? Then I have the home for you…..

This lovely Tudor, which I refer to as “The Queen of the Hill” is in the Indian Hill section of Katonah. Built in 1987, this stunning Tudor has over 4200 sq ft plus the finished playrooms and storage areas on the lower level. Great flow for a family and entertaining. Also a great downsizer for Jay Gatsby!

Sited on just about one acre, it has a very private setting. The bank of trees in the back is trimmed with beautiful stone walls. The close-to-the-ground decking is the full length of the home and enjoys full views of the very elegant pool with slate patio surround. There is also a separately fenced playground area. The outdoor elegance continues with the very spacious screened-in porch which is off the family room. The floor of this enclosed porch has been painstakingly hand painted to resemble inlaid terra cotta tiles. As one excited broker suggested - “This is where you dance!” Of course! This porch also has its own slate patio. The exterior is then graced by landscape lighting come nightfall.

The formal rooms of the home start at the elegant entrance with gently winding staircase to the gracious Master and Bath plus three family bedrooms with hall bath. The landing on the second floor is large enough to have a desk at the window with a gorgeous view of the mature plantings and green space of the neighborhood. The Center Hall is flanked by a open living room and oversized dinng room. This all flows to the back of the house with an updated large kitchen and family dining area plus the Family Room.

The inviting family room with stone fireplace has sliders to the decking and pool. The screened-in porch is to the other side.

There is a seperate front entrance which opens into a large foyer (hard to call this the Mud Room!) with laundry and door out to the pool. There is also a suite of rooms which includes the 5th legal bedroom plus full bath. This can be ideal for an au pair/inlaw suite or a professional office and waiting room/secretarial space.

There is a three-car garage plus large utility room.

It is very close to Increase Miller Elementary School, Fox Valley Park and the local Lewisboro Town Park which offers pool, tennis and wonderful day camps. The Metro North Train Station and 684 are a couple of minutes away. For any further information or if you would like to see it please contact me!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

After the great success of last year, Caramoor is repeating their ”Pops, Patriots and Fireworks” on Sunday, The Fourth of July 2010.

Once again, Michael Barrett leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” Grofe’s music from “The Grand Canyon Suite,” “Variations on America” by Ives and his rousing renditions of the Sousa Marches! There are also a few musical surprises as well - the playing of the Theremin - the first electronic instrument, which Lucie Rosen, owner of Caramoor and Foundress of the Music Festival performed worldwide.

The concert is at 8 pm but the grounds are open earlier for picnics. Picnic Fare will also be provided by Great Performances.

Once you have enjoyed your picnic - just the people watching and the picnic spreads are worth the price of entry - you have heard the music and then experienced the FIREWORKS immediately after the concert - one can return home fully sated with having enjoyed the perfect celebration of The Fourth of July! The Summer Season is planned and perhaps you may enjoy other concerts and festivals!

Go to www.caramoor.org

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

I met with Phillis Warden of Nine Gables on Bedford Center Rd. in Bedford last week to walk her gardens prior to the fundraising event to support The Bedford Hills Free Library, “Jazz in the Garden” which was to feature the Glenda Davenport Trio.

John and Phillis Warden are longtime residents of Bedford. Their gardens are fabled in the area and I was looking forward to the experience. My instructions were to just come over and find her in her garden where she will be for the day until it is time for her to plan for her evening.

I arrived at Nine Gables and started my quiet quest. The bells from St. Matthews pealed in the background and I heard the lilting voices of youths at play in the fields of the neighboring Rippowam Cisqua School. I walked from section to section photographing as I went along. I stopped along a charming elevated rock garden village which I was later to learn was the Alpine Rock Garden - levels of soil with gravel for drainage – terraced with Chinese pagodas dotting the mini landscape.

I then spied Phillis and we decided to stop at one of her refuges amidst her gardens for some question and answer time plus a review of the photos I had already taken. What I did learn was that I had just seen a fraction of her Secret Gardens.

The name Phillis comes from the Latin for branch or bough and I doubt a more apt name can be found. Phillis has the strength, beauty and resiliency of a fine bough.

Phillis had decided to share her gardens for a benefit for the Bedford Hills Free Library since she felt that “Who is not for a Library? It is a very important part of our Society. I am very sympathetic to their needs.”

She has also supported and made privy her gardens for the benefit of The Native Plant Center of The Westchester Community College and The Garden Conservancy.

She regards her work as the creation of An Enhanced Woodland Garden. I asked if she pursued a course of study at the Botanical Gardens. “No not at all,” she said, “it has been all observation, experimentation and conversation.”

She recalled a name given by a friend to describe her vast gardens and the word was “Wardenia.”

Her most prized plants? With over 150+ varieties it is easier to pick a section or her latest endeavor which is the Marsh area. She uses indigenous plants to the area. She started her gardens 22 yrs ago and has worked in the Marsh area for the last 12. The scourge to her work is not the deer population for which she has dedicated a portion of her land, but the beavers. People do not realize how beavers create dams and block water which then destroys trees. It is her constant battle to remove the debris they accumulate on the natural water channels and let the water flow naturally. When we see tree loss in the area it is often times the work of the beavers. She has also crossed the roads in her area to thwart their efforts.

The property was originally built around 1830-1840 as an apple farm. It was conducive to farming because it was not rocky and was mostly level.. There are several other water gardens and sanctuaries on the property. I asked if there was one special spot favorable for meditation or prayer and she quickly added, “the whole experience of my garden gives me peace and reflection.”

Her fascination with water gardens happened perhaps due to a tribute to the previous owners, Richard and Edith Goetz, who were instructors at The Art Students League in New York. They had members of the art, ballet and opera world as their house guests and artists in residence. They were American Impressionist painters and this was their touch of Monet’s Giverny complete with a small pond filled with water lilies. The small square pond which was left and the rock garden surrounding it was rearranged and it is now in three parts. It recirculates naturally

without filtration or chemicals. The water lilies are more than thriving now!

I asked if there were a secret to it all - “Once the plants are happy they grow.” One of her challenges is to keep something of color blooming at all times throughout the gardens. She also planned the gardens along the walkways to create shade for the shade-loving plants by the use of the towering plants which then protect the smaller plants. These are of course planned with the daily path of the sun in mind. It is yet another example of running secret gardens along the seemingly miles of paths. “I also throw the discards and trimmings under the desirable plants and beds since the death of one plant should benefit the life of another.” The combination and proximity of trees such as Japanese Maples comingling with dogwoods at a pond’s perimeter are reflective of the density of this lush garden.

Closest to the kitchen was the Renaissance Vegetable Garden - modeled after a famous French chateaux with gardens dating back to the early 1500s. The tall green almost obalisque pyramids are “tutors” as to teach the vines to follow their lead. The vines of tomatoes and squash are trained to grow entwined towards the top of the tutor. Phillis had them custom built after she had seen it in use.

There were also Italian influences with Pergolas and unexpected columns on a field. They reminded me of the original setting of columns on a field at Caramoor. Those columns later became The Venetian Theater – the setting for the concerts of the International Music Festival – a relative neighbor.

The croquet court was to establish some flat property and trim it with stone walls and topiary. A special grass seed was used - “bent grass” - that is used on golf courses specifically at the tees. I felt as though I was Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts was to appear at any moment!

As we proceeded through the property, I felt as though I was tumbling down the rabbit hole of Wonderland as I walked through the multiple settings. There were huge slate slab steps that led to additional water gardens and ponds filled with koi and goldfish. Phillis prefers the goldfish since they are easier to raise. The ponds must be deep so that the fish can drop to the bottom come winter into their state of suspended animation. I stepped across ponds on wood planks and perfect stepping stones - just keeping my feet above the water level. These many paths simply led from one delightful garden to another. Garden furniture and statuary also added definition to the spaces created.

I then experienced the final reward – an unexpected lake surrounded with fields of wildflowers.

It was a breathtaking view and tour. What a wonderful way to combine the love of libraries and nature, with philanthropy. What did I learn? I heard of Dutchman’s Pipe Vine - an old Victorian plant used for privacy between small homes that is coming back today. How Foxglove will “jump around” in a garden and how Zephyring Duhin roses are without thorns. Phillis has little time for plants with thorns!

Stay tuned for notices of possible future fundraising events at Nine Gables & Wardenia!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

A celebratory fundraising cocktail party was held within the newly refurbished Sundial & Fountain Gardens of The John Jay Homestead in Katonah. An integral part of Museum Mile in Katonah, Town of Bedford, the homestead was the home of John Jay. One of the foremost Founding Fathers, his contributions through his life of dedication to the newly founded country included his role as negotiator with Benjamin Franklin of The Treaty of Paris which brought the Revolutionary War to a close, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, First Chief Justice, and the second Governor of New York State.

The restoration of The Gardens was greatly in part to the efforts of The Bedford Garden Club, The Herb Society of America, The Hopp Ground Garden Club and the Rusticus Garden Club. The event was made possible by a generous gift from Houlihan Lawrence.

The Peter Pratt Inn, known for their garden-to-table philosophy of food, was responsible for the catering. It was a delightful evening in an even more delightful setting.

Become a Friend of The Homestead -

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

On one of the most classic Bedford Roads, this Perennial Paradise of eight acres was designed by Penelope Maynard, who was trained by the staff at The New York Botanical Gardens. It has been noted as one of the most outstanding gardens in the Northeast.

In order to further delight in Nature, the outdoor pool is nestled into the landscaping making it a veritable Garden of Eden. If Bedford is known for its stone walls - these are the premier example. Terraced stone steps and pathways lead you through the gardens.

There is also a heated barn on the property. It is a house of light. This home of 4,000+ sq. ft. has views from each room that provide a breathtaking serenity. With beamed high ceilings, warm woods and walls of glass there is a very open California feel to this lovely home. The gazebo-like Master Bedroom Suite extension is a delight for all seasons with its surround of windows and doors out to the gardens. The second floor is more traditional in design with two bedrooms and bath plus an additional Master Suite.
The most surprising delight is the non chlorine indoor pool with a vaulted greenhouse glass structure which is also landscaped with vines and potted and planted greenery. It is almost a reflecting pool in nature. One would feel they are swimming at the most exclusive spa.

In the prime estate area of Bedford, it is a neighbor to The Caramoor Center of the Arts and the Rosen House where the International Music Festival is held each Summer and through the winter. It is also close to The John Jay Homestead and The Katonah Museum of Art which is known as “The Jewel in The Woods” as described by the Journal News May 6th, 2010. The area is known as Museum Mile which I had discussed in an earlier article. 
In between the hamlets of Bedford Village and Katonah, it is accessible to all plus the Metro North Train, the Saw Mill Parkway and 684. Plus great restaurants and the classic Bedford Movie Night at the Bedford Playhouse! 

If you would like more information or to arrange for a showing of this property please contact me at or 914-232-1212 x342.

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

It was a beautiful Memorial Day! On the way into Katonah that morning there were riders out enjoying the day and the 150 miles of trails of the Bedford Riding Lanes Association (BRLA) whose yellow tags you will see on trees as markers throughout our area. It was the day of the BRLA Memorial Day Country Pace at John Jay Homestead.

Then in the village, people were testing the sound system and speakers for the speeches. Memorial Circle was trimmed with red, white and blue flowers. Then at 10 there came the sound of brass and drums. The first brass marching band came from my home town of Sleepy Hollow which was a thrill. Then there were Veterans from the American Legion that all garnered our applause. The Katonah Elementary Boy and Girl Scouts –Cub & Boy Scouts and for the Girls - Bluebirds, Brownies, Juniors & Seniors. It was very emotional for me since I remember the days when my children would march and were so proud to have carried the flags and banners. I enjoyed talking to Katonah Elementary parents that were lining the streets to see their Scouts march in this great American Tradition. I reminisced on those KES years and how they were the best years of MY life!

Then our local Katonah Firemen and Bedford Police came through all in their dress regalia. Perhaps this was a warm up for their upcoming event - the Annual Fireman’s Parade on June 9th that attracts Fire Companies from the greater New York Metropolitan Area.

After very moving speeches and the gun salute at the half raised flag at Memorial Circle, the parade participants and their following continued their march back to the Firehouse which offered Ice Cream for everyone! It is probably the only time we had ice cream at 11 in the morning. Perhaps the children were also dreaming of the upcoming parade and fair that is held on the firehouse grounds. The American Legion Outpost on Rt 22 - next to the Katonah Museum of Art - invited people to come to their outdoor barbecue. One year I took them up on it and we had a very nice time. It gave more meaning and depth to the day to spend time with war and service Veterans. Katonah is just this kinda place! Happy Memorial Day, enjoy the pictures!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom