You may remember that last year, Les & I were here in France on the 100th annivesary of the start of WWI. On August 1, 2014, all over France, the tocsin (the village alert system left over from the Middle Ages) was rung to commemorate the call to arms. 6 planes from the French Air Force flew over our house. We visited a wonderful exhibit in Marseilles showing how the French government, & Marseille's businessmen, financed the war. It also displayed many propaganda posters. We felt like we needed to know more. So we've watched movies, read books & articles, & decided to experience a WWI battlefield. So off we went.

Last weekend, Les & I drove to Verdun, a town near Belgium, the center of what was, in 1914, the frontier between France & Germany. The weather cooperated, & we roamed the fields, saw the villages, visited museums, & finally wrapped our arms around "The Great War". Visit our album called "Verdun & WWI" for many pictures from various sources: my I-phone, a comic book, a collection of letters, & various maps & brochures. We've tried to make it personal. We certainly felt the presence of all those soldiers in the trenches: French, British, German, & American too. All those lives given to end the war that was to end all the wars.

Two weeks to go here! We can't believe it, but we feel ourselves getting into Re-Entry mode.

Hope your summer is still rolling along.

Love,

Elise & Les