John Adams House at Peace Field

We played tourists at home today and visited the farmhouse in Quincy where the second American president, John Adams was born, and the grander house, shown here, which he bought on his return from Europe when he was a little more wealthy.

It seemed strange to see these beautifully-preserved historic buildings in the center of ordinary everyday Quincy!

Afterwards, we drove along Wollaston Beach, just to check it out, and then to Nickerson State Park, with its great views of Downtown Boston. Cool to see the Savin Hill gas tank and the Kennedy Library across Dorchester Bay appearing so close to us (as indeed they were). We could even see as far north as Winthrop, which is really close to home.

I went for a (rather muddy) walk to the tip of the park. Saw a Mourning Cloak (butterfly) - my first - on the way back. That's a Camberwell Beauty in England. And a group of great egrets fishing in the bay - they must be getting ready to go to where ever they go for the winter.