By ELLEN BEST
I’m back! This week, as we begin a new chapter in the U.S., I, too, am beginning a new chapter writing in The Recorder, our invigorated, nonprofit local paper. I hope you’ve already subscribed.
My previous column, the Talk of the Town, was created by former Pound Ridge resident Bonni Brodnick, who passed it on to me almost 15 years ago. It was a joyful journey to be woven into the fabric of Pound Ridge. I had the chance to highlight the best things about our great town — the positive, good-hearted folks who have carried nature’s life-giving torch with an added sense of community. I’ve been part of several incarnations of our local newspaper for almost four decades as a feature writer and columnist, but this was the icing on the cake. Honestly, after all this time, I’m almost hardwired to do this and it feels good.
So, it is with a sense of reverence that I take the opportunity to highlight Bonni in this first writing of my new column. Bonni is the author of “Pound Ridge Past: Remembrances of Our Townsfolk” (2006), an oral history from local residents whom I knew when my husband, James, and I moved here in 1979.
Bonni had a stroke while driving 65 mph on Interstate 95. Thankfully, her 86-year-old mother grabbed the wheel, and the vehicle crashed into a guard rail. A good Samaritan couple came to their rescue.
I read Bonni’s memoir, “My Stroke in the Fast Lane: A Journey to Recovery,” (2023) in a single page-turning sitting. After I heard her speak about the book and her experience at the Bedford Hills Free Library last year, I followed her recommendation to the audience to go for a preventative check-in with a cardiologist. Thankfully, I’m good.
Recovering from the stroke required Bonni to refuel herself from her core. Her life had taken a seasonal downturn, sending her to her reserves to respond, revealing her true character and impetus to grow. In the same way, trees are now losing their leaves, revealing bare branches, sending carbohydrates to their roots to grow in preparation for spring’s warmth and sunlight.
Her strength started to return. She remembers repeating to herself, “I can do it. I can do it.” Soon after that, it was all about feeling grateful just to be alive (and to attend her son’s wedding eight weeks after her stroke). These days, her renewed sense of self is determined to keep negativity at a distance on her “journey of personal transformation.”
For anyone who has thought about or is currently writing a memoir, Bonni is presenting a three-part memoir writing workshop at the Pound Ridge Library. There are two remaining sessions, Saturdays, Nov. 16 and Nov. 23. Register at poundridgelibrary.org.
As for me, as the daylight hours diminish, you can still find me lingering in my garden. These days I’m harvesting the last of the squash and beans, preparing the soil for next season, and extending the season with hoops and covers. I’m still leading the Westchester chapter of the Bionutrient Food Association, staying connected to local farmers and backyard gardeners who want to grow nutrient dense food.
Mostly, I’m in awe of how nature provides the potential for life, inspiring me, fueling my geeky passions to seek a healthy existence. That natural, local spark will stay lit here every month. It’s all about putting your best foot forward.
Ellen Best is a longtime Pound Ridge resident and cheerleader. In her new monthly column, "Best Foot Forward," she will explore the many aspects of life and living in Pound Ridge.