It was not a very large pond by most standards, maybe an acre, more or less. It was located there off to the side of the Johnsons' house, between the cow field and the orchard. Yes, it was said that when old man Mercer came back from the Big War, WW I, he bought a tractor and put his young sons to work building poppa’s fishing hole. The old man had been shot up and gassed so he was frail. But having his sons, and with his wife becoming the family leader and matriarch, the Mercers thrived. He would at first be wheeled out and just sit by the pond, then gradually, as he improved, he began to fish and just sit all day and enjoy his beloved farm. His sons would catch trout and different fish and put them in the pond so poppa had something to catch. The old man recovered and led an active and productive life. In the winter he would open the gate there on the road and the boys, all seven of them, were told they could invite their friends over to ice-skate. Two small warming buildings were built and a good supply of wood was piled up each summer, and the old man and his wife would sit and watch the local children, and a few adults come and ice-skate. People were respective of his property and of his liking of their visits, so it always stayed clean and became a winter time haven. Eventually there were benches and two outhouses, so that when the old man and his wife passed on, it became an unofficial park. I was lucky enough to have gone back last winter and I took two of my grandchildren, and one great-grandson over to Mercer’s pond, and although we did not have skates, we slid as we had done back in the old days. We had fun. Oh the memories, the fond memories that excursion brought back, and heck, my grandchildren had a good time. Cyrus Van Story, who had skated there in the winter time as a boy, had a nice bronze plaque placed there as a memorial to Old Man Mercer. I wonder how many thousand town boys, girls, men and women spent a nice winter Saturday or Sunday or night skating on Mercer’s Pond.   ~ Tom (tomWYO@aol.com)~ You are welcome to use the graphics on this page providing you use them as a set and don't mix them with other graphics. You may use a different title and different text, but be sure to include my button and a link back. (http://www.geocities/writerswinter2004/) All poems and short stories on this website have a copyright. If you wish to use one or more on your website, contact the author for permission. If you enjoyed this page, check these out: Two Women (new author) Pondering Needles Of Ice And.......for many others, click the link for HOME. Home: Writers' Winter 2004 Index