The Adams Family

On our way to Prince Edward Island (in 2011), Mom and Dad and I visited Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts. Peacefield or Old House is the historic home of the Adams family: John Adams and his wife Abigail and John Quincy Adams and his wife Louisa. Brooks Adams, the great-great grandson of John Adams was the last one to live there. The house became a museum upon his death and was incorporated into the National Park Service in 1946. 

John and Abigail Adams

John Adams was a founding father and the second president of the United States (1797-1801). His son John Quincy was the sixth president (1825-1829). Both were one-term presidents. The elder Adams served two terms as vice president under George Washington. Abigail was Adams' closest advisor. She is one of the most highly regarded First Ladies. I don't understand how someone like Adams didn't think his wife (or women) were smart enough to vote!

Old House

Peacefield

Old Stone Library

The Stone Library, completed in 1870, stands next to Peacefield and houses personal papers and over 14,000 books that belonged to John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and other family members. The Library holds John Adams' copy of George Washington's Farewell Address as well as a Bible presented to John Quincy Adams in 1841 by the freed Mendi captives who had mutinied on the schooner La Amistad and whom Adams had successfully defended before the United States Supreme Court.

Written 15 Jan 2026

Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980. I was in high school at the time. I visited the site ten years later, when I attended my first NACAA meeting in Seattle. I visited Mount St. Helens again, almost 20 years later (in 2009). Another NACAA meeting. This one in Portland. In both cases, my travel companions were fellow county agents.

-- 1990 --

Established in 1982

Devastation

Eerie

Rebirth

-- 2009 --

(L-R) John, Stan, me, Jeff and Willie

Eruption Trail

Almost 30 years later

Stumps

After its 1980 eruption, the volcano experienced continuous volcanic activity until 2008. Geologists predict that future eruptions will be more destructive.  

Cascade range

Life returned

In 1980, I attended National 4-H Congress in Chicago. Delegates to the Congress shared little mementos of their states. The kids from Washington State handed out little baggies of volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens.  I kept it all these years.

Written 16 Jan 2026

Warszawa

Warszawa (Warsaw) is the largest city and capitol of Poland. I spent a fair amount of time there, since it was the headquarters of the Polish-American Extension Project. The Forum Hotel was always our based of operations. 

Forum Hotel, c. 1974

City view

The Palace of Science and Culture is a notable high rise building in Central Warsaw.  It is the second tallest building in Warsaw and Poland. It is highly controversial, having been built at the peak of Stalinism. It is often viewed as a symbol of  Soviet domination over Poland. It does offer a good view of the city, and is probably viewed with less hostility nowadays (by younger generations). 

Palace of Science and Culture, c. 1955 

Old Town Square

Royal Castle, restored 1984

Tomb of Unknown Soldier

Ministry of Agriculture

The monument to the Warsaw Uprising was unveiled in 1989. The Warsaw Uprising, which broke out on August 1, 1944 and lasted until October 2, 1944, was one of the most important and devastating events in the history of Warsaw and Poland. Political factors made official memorialization of the Warsaw Uprising impossible for decades.

Smaller section of the monument

Main section of the monument

The monument commemorating the Ghetto Uprising of 1943 was formally unveiled in 1948. It is located in an area that was formerly part of the Warsaw Ghetto. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the largest single revolt by Jews against the Nazis during World War II. At least 56,065 Jews were killed or captured during the uprising.

Monument to the Ghetto Heroes

My most unusual collection

Thirty-five years ago, I started collecting McDonald's placemats.  I thought it was cool to see the placemats (and menus) in different languages, especially Cyrillic. So I began collecting placemats in the countries I visited, mostly Eastern Europe. I stopped collecting years ago, but held onto the original paper placemats and scanned them for this post. I consider them one of my most unusual collections.

Moscow (Russia)

The first McDonald's opened in Moscow in January 1990. It was a big deal, a symbol of  Western culture and capitalism and of the USSR's opening to the outside world (end of the Cold War). When I visited Moscow in 1990, we went to McDonalds' on several occasions. We always encountered long lines. Police monitored the crowds; better not butt in line! Ironically, it was total chaos once you got inside the restaurant, as everyone rushed towards the counters to place their orders. The menu was similar, but quite expensive for the average Russian. After Russia invaded the Ukraine in 2022, McDonald's ceased operations and withdrew from the country. 

Prague (Czech Republic)

Moldova

Poland

The first McDonald's was opened in Poland (in Warsaw) in 1992. I lived in Poland for six months in 1993. Every time we went to Warsaw (8 hours away), we ate at the McDonald's at least once. Pizza Hut was our first meal stop. At the time, I didn't like how they made pizza or burgers in Poland, so whenever we had a chance to eat the American staples, we did. Otherwise, the food in Poland was generally good.  

Germany

Mexico

In the 1990s, there were more McDonald's than any other restaurant in the world. In 2025, McDonald's was second behind a Chinese fast food restaurant.

Written 16 Jan 2026

A horrific place

I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in April 1993, on Easter of all days. The first thing I noticed was the inscription over the gate: "Arbeit macht frei" (in English: Work will set you free.) The obvious irony is that this was far from the truth, as prisoners were worked to death or executed.

Arbeit macht frei:  "work will set you free"

Camp layouts

Auschwitz (Oświęcim) was Nazi Germany's largest concentration camp and extermination center.  Approximately 1.3 million people were deported to Auschwitz. Of those, it is estimated that 1.1 million lost their lives, including 960,000 Jews and tens of thousands of Poles (non-Jews), along with "gypsies" and Soviet POWs. 

1.3 million people died

The camp operated from 1940-45.

Before I went to Poland, I had wanted to visit the different concentration camps for historical interests. After I visited Auschwitz, I never wanted to visit a concentration camp again. I understood why our Polish translators stayed in the car while we toured the camp. I did visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC shortly after returning from Poland, but the experience (fortunately) was not similar. 

Schindler's List was filmed in Poland the same year I was there (in 1993). The filmmakers were denied permission to film inside the camp, but some exterior shots were filmed outside the gate of Auschwitz II-Birkenau. It was a difficult film for Steven Spielberg to make, as he is Jewish.

Big Red Brick Castle

Malbork is the largest brick castle in Europe and the largest castle in the world, by land area. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries by Teutonic Knights, a religious order of Catholic crusaders. The castle is located in Malbork, Poland, about an hour's drive from Gdańsk. I visited the castle during my involvement with the Polish-American Extension Project. We had a team meeting in Gdańsk

Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork 

Largest brick complex in Europe

Most of the castle has been reconstructed. During the second world war, almost half of it was destroyed. A severe fire in 1959 further damaged the castle. For over 300 years, Malbork was the residence of  Polish royalty. It was under German rule from 1772 to 1945, when the town was transferred to Poland and the Germans left.

Headquarters of the Teutonic Knights

Constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries

Over 30 million bricks

A UNESCO World Heritage site and a museum

Written 10 Jan 2026

My short-lived skiing career

When I lived in Poland (in 1993), I entered a 20 km cross country ski race (called Bieg Piastów). I don't know why. I had never skied before in my life. I had never even had a pair of skis on. The race took place in Szklarska Poręba, not far from our home base in Jelenia Góra. I didn't finish the race. I went about 7 km before sneaking out. I skied along side a German guy (spoke no English) with similar abilities. Phil and Anna T. finished the race (eventually). Quite an accomplishment for them. Anna M. was a spectator.

Susan, the skier (not)

Certificate of participation

Mementos

Getting ready for the race

We went skiing another time. Downhill. It wasn't a ski resort. Just a hill with people skiing. No bunny hills. I couldn't figure out how to stop. I wasn't any better at downhill skiing than I was at cross country. Perhaps, I just needed some instruction. Who knows?  I haven't been skiing since. Too bad. I might have liked it.

Written 10 Jan 2026