On Frozen Pond



Images of the pond in the backyard of my aunt and uncle's home in Messancy, Belgium. They lived here for almost 13 years when my uncle's job was transferred to Luxembourg. Note that this is the Ardennes forest, where the Battle of the Bulge was fought during World War II. You can still see shell holes in the forest (they look like skiing mogules), and every now and then someone is killed by an unexploded shell. There are signs warning people to stay out of the forest.

My mom tried to pay for some stamps at the local post office once, but the man wouldn't take her money. He said that he remembered when the Americans rescued them from German occupation, and that she didn't owe him anything!

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