Portrait of a Red Dorking Hen

Red Dorking hen at 'Plimoth Plantation' in  Massachusetts

Meet the Red Dorking -- an ancient but now-rare breed of chicken.  I photographed this good-looking individual at the Plimoth Plantation, the "living history museum" near Plymouth, Massachusetts.  The Red Dorking chicken is one of the rare breeds of animals raised there today.

Plimoth Plantation re-creates the village life of the English immigrants who arrived in Massachusetts in the 17th century and established the Plymouth Colony.  The most well-known of those colonists were the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower.

If you would like to learn more about this five-toed chicken breed, here is a detailed article published a few years ago by Mother Earth News:

Dorking Chickens: Heritage Poultry Breeds

Museum of Science, Boston

Museum of Science

Location:  Boston, Massachusetts, USA

I photographed this image of Boston's Museum of Science from a boat on the Charles River.  This is not a new photo, but I still like it -- perhaps because it evokes the memory of a clear October day spent in the company of good friends.

Mayflower II - Replica of the historic ship that brought the Pilgrims to America

Mayflower II

Location:  Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

This wooden vessel is a replica of the Mayflower, the sailing ship that brought the Pilgrims to America in 1620.  The Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction, was built in Devon, England.  According to an on-line FAQ about the vessel:

Mayflower II is a square-rigged vessel that is about 25 feet wide and 106 feet long, displacing 236 tons of water.  She has four masts, including a mainmast, foremast, mizzen and sprit, with a total of six sails.

The ship sailed across the Atlantic in 1957.  Today, the Mayflower II is moored at a pier in Plymouth, Massachusetts, within sight of Plymouth Rock.  It is open to the public.  If you are a history buff, or have a penchant for all things nautical, the Mayflower II is well worth a visit.