Scott Leonard
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therealdcscott.bsky.social
Scott Leonard
@therealdcscott.bsky.social
470 followers 230 following 500 posts
Wisconsin native, longtime Northeast DC resident, amateur genealogist, retired from the railway. Now in Racine, Wis. He/him. 🇺🇸🏳️‍🌈🚂🚃🌲🍦🍺
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therealdcscott.bsky.social
Racine had its first trace of snow overnight, but not before I cut the last few flowers that were in the garden. I also took a handful of raspberries and yellow cherry tomatoes.

The change to autumn has been gradual day-to-day, but noticeable. The first snow always feels like sudden change.
A small, green-glass vase holds a handful of flowers--white and light-purple asters and two red roses. The vase stands on a gray, wooden table between some other plants in pots. Behind the table runs a row of windows facing a garden area, beyond that an ivy-covered wall and trees. The outdoor plants have leaves with a range of colors--green, red, yellow. On a patch of grass, the top of the wall, and some of the ground plants is a thin coat of fresh snow.
November 9, 2025 at 1:44 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
I went to Madison last weekend for a meeting, before which I had time to visit one of the last Dane County Farmers Markets of the season. On one corner is the pasty shop (shown), which was there 40+ years ago and was one of my favorite shops then. I bought a coffee and chatted with the young owner.
Street scene under a cloudy sky, still a bit dark because it's not quite time for the sun to rise. A couple high rises in the left background, and in front of them is a tree with fairy lights in the branches. A construction fence is in front of the tree. In front of the fence, a person in a red windbreaker pulls a green wagon containing packages away from us. At right is a brown sandstone Italianate building from the 1800s, wedge-shaped, with dark green eaves and awnings. The building has retail space on the ground floor and two stories of windows above. The store is open, with light shining from the windows on both sides of the corner entrance. The windows have enormous house plants in them. The writing above the door says: Myles' Teddywedgers, now serving breakfast.
November 2, 2025 at 9:37 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
My outing this evening was a preview of the upcoming PBS show about the American Revolution by Ken Burns, at the wonderful Al. Ringling Theater in downtown Baraboo, Wis. The organist is playing old standards as people arrive.
The interior of a near-circular theater. In the left foreground are rows of red velvet seats, with a small number of people in them. At right is the stage and a man playing an organ. In back are rows of classical columns and a row of semi-circular boxes. A row of gilt panels circles the ceiling, each with paintings of angels and clouds against blue-sky backgrounds.
October 17, 2025 at 3:27 AM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Perfect weather yesterday for the Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places. I appreciate all the volunteers and visitors who supported it. Many hours went into planning the event at seven locations, with some additional obstacles this year, and so it is gratifying to see it all turn out well.
Interior scene of a historic railroad station. On the walls is dark oak beams and trim, and an oak ceiling with beams running in both directions. On the right, tall sets of windows line the wall, with half-circle windows above each set of tall windows. The plaster walls between the oak beams are a pumpkin-orange shade. Metal benches form a row along the right side, and a small desk is in the foreground. On the far wall are two areas with low wooden arches over them, one being an entrance and one a closed-off ticket window. A standard office clock is at center, and there are two bulletin boards. Round light fixtures hang from the ceiling by chains, each with a circle of light bulbs surrounding a central white glass globe. Two groups of people are at the far end of the room. The group on the right is listening to a man speaking, and on the left they are looking at objects laid out on tables. A man in a locomotive engineer's outfit, with cap and bib overalls, is pointing out objects at the table.
September 29, 2025 at 7:51 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
And tomorrow, I will be helping to guide people through Racine's historic Chicago & North Western Railway depot, as part of Preservation Racine's annual Tour of Historic Places. The depot now serves as part of RYDE Racine's Corinne Reid Owens Transit Center. preservationracine.org/tours/2025-t...
September 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Good morning from Racine, Wis., where our spider overlords are plotting their eventual takeover.
A circular spider web catches sideways light from the sunrise. The web stretches from a tall shrub on the left to a porch pillar on the right. The pillar has a length of rope-pattern trim on the corner edge. At center, a spider is busily eating something. In the distance, a walkway extends to a sidewalk and street. Trees can be seen in the distance. A yellow dot across the street is a city utility worker in a safety vest working on a hydrant.
September 16, 2025 at 2:05 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
It’s a gorgeous, late-summer day in Racine, Wis. Some clouds, some breeze, and not at all too hot. I walked along the Root River, from which the city gets its name. I think this small suspension bridge is the only one of its type around here. This heron was quite tolerant of my presence.
A small suspension bridge spanning a river. A line of trees on the left follows the curve of a river as it sweeps to the right, beyond the bridge. Mixed clouds above, some gray patches and some blue. The trees and clouds are reflected on the water. A patch of long grass and yellow wildflowers is at lower left. A bank of wild weeds extends down to a river. A dead tree branch extends low over the water, and on this stands a blue heron. Clouds and trees on the opposite shore are reflected on the water, which has just small ripples on it.
August 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
An article from 2020 with great scenes from downtown Milwaukee, now 80 years ago today, Tuesday, August 14, 1945, showing crowds spontaneously celebrating the end of World War II. [I wasn't born yet, but I certainly heard about this later on...]

eu.jsonline.com/picture-gall...
Thousands of people mill about on a downtown street, as far as the eye can see in this black-and-white photo. Streetcar rails are barely visible where people are walking and standing. Streetcar wires are visible overhead. People are dressed for summer, some smartly, some housedresses, some teenagers in white t-shirts, some military. A marquee on the building on the left reads Gimbels; on the right a marquee for the Riverside Theater announces the appearance of Vaughn Monroe & Orchestra, and the film Bedside Manner.
August 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Challenge: post your last photo taken in DC to show what a hell-hole it is:
A large room with vaulted ceilings with coffered ceilings and gold leaf. A clean, shiny floor has white marble tiled with smaller, red marble accents. At the far wall, three sets of triple doors and transoms are below large window arches that admit light. Statues stand in the arches. In the center ground, people with roller bags cross the floor in various directions. Not seen: Roving street gangs looking to terrorize teenagers who happen to be DOGE officials.
August 11, 2025 at 11:08 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Went for a walk in Milwaukee on Friday, on a nice day. I liked this dinosaur and the neighboring golden gargoyles. In the left distance is the building with the famous Allen-Bradley clock tower.
A small, green house at center and a yellow one at right, both somewhat elevated from street level. In the right foreground, a large tyrannosaurus skeleton is peering over a green, wooden fence that separates the two front gardens. The green house has two low gables, each with a golden gargoyle which face the street at left. The green house also has a couple small trees in front. A sidewalk runs along the curb into the distance. A white car is parked at left. In the left distance a large industrial building stands, with a clock tower rising above it.
July 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
RIP Connie Francis, whose big hit from mid-1959 was in our front room...
Advertisement from Cash Box magazine, May 2, 1959, with a black-and-white photo of Connie Francis at lower left, looking up into the distance wistfully. She wears a plaid blouse and short, dark hair. There is a heart drawn with a red dotted line at center. The text says: You will FLIP over Connie's New Hit!! CONNIE FRANCIS sings FRANKIE -- LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR -- Orchestra Directed by Ray Ellis -- MGM K12793 -- M-G-M Records, 1540 Broadway, N.Y. 36, N.Y. JU2-2000.
July 17, 2025 at 7:15 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Oh, Biscuit Head*. It’s been far too long.

*Greenville, SC, location.
Table in a restaurant, with napkin holder and cup of iced tea in background. At center? A white plate with soft biscuits (US style), covered with slices of fried green tomatoes, poached eggs, sliced spring onions, and red ranchero sauce.
June 22, 2025 at 4:55 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Racine, Wis. = Barbara McNair. Born in Chicago, but grew up here.
June 12, 2025 at 12:09 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Someone drove the SS Pontiac into town tonight.

(Town being Racine, Wis.)
A mint green car from 1953 is parked on an urban street. A small park is across the street, in the distance. The car has big chrome bumpers and an old-school Wisconsin plate, yellow with black numbers.
June 7, 2025 at 12:10 AM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
In Clear Lake town (Iowa) is the Surf Ballroom, where Buddy Holly and the others played just before boarding their plane. It’s still an active music venue, with small museum. They let you walk all around during the day, even up on stage. The town itself is quite charming.
An L-shaped wall made of light-tan brick reads SURF BALLROOM in bright blue letters. A brick walkway leads to a ticket office and entrance at the right. The marquee over the entrance reads: Jun 26 Tyler Hubbard, 27 Steve Earle, 29 Buddy Holly Story, Jul 12 Dylan Gossett. At center is a flagpole (with flag), bench, and historical marker. Blue sky and scattered clouds above. A theater interior, view from the stage. Some handrails at center lead down to a center aisle. Rows of black folding chairs are set up on either side of the aisle. Behind the chairs are a couple dozen round tables, with more folding chairs and black table clothes. Behind that are areas of cabana tables or booths, dark green leather and shiny pine. To the right in the distance, a bar area is visible in the next room. Over it all is a barrel arch ceiling, painted midnight blue. A row of spotlights pointed at the stage are at the top of the photo. On the back wall under the ceiling arch are three poster portraits: Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper.
June 5, 2025 at 1:20 AM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Just north of Clear Lake, Iowa, is where a plane crashed in February 1959, killing rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, and their pilot, Roger Peterson. I stopped to visit last week. You park where the big specs are, and walk along a fence line to the crash site.
Two wooden posts, painted white, no more than waist-high, support large, metal eyeglass frames, painted black. Many pairs of glasses and sunglasses are clipped to the bottom of each eye rim. There are a few flowers on the ground below. Various names and messages are written on the posts. Farm fields stretch into the distance, with a path at center. On the horizon are distant trees and clouds. A memorial made of brushed steel sits close to the ground, with tall grass and a farm fields beyond. Part of the memorial is shaped like a guitar and reads: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, 2-3-59. The other half of the memorial has three discs that look like phonograph records. Three bunches of white, cloth roses are stuck into the ground. Scattered trinkets and beads are visible. In the foreground, a rock rests on a laminated newspaper article. At right is another steel memorial, shaped like wings, which bears a cross and which reads: Roger Peterson, Feb 3 1959. It has bright pink plastic roses.
June 5, 2025 at 1:04 AM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Good morning from Prairie du Chien, Wis.!

It is the second-oldest town in the state.
A large fiberglass fish arches up and away from a wooden cannon that is not quite pointed at the fish. A brown painted shop is behind at left, and a brown, two story house at right. The figures stand on a lawn at a street corner, and a large sign for a fish and cheese shop is at right.
May 30, 2025 at 1:46 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
I visited the Shawano County Historical Society last month, where they have a group of buildings from around the area. This replica Zachow depot was built by volunteers in 2011. It has an authentic waiting room/ticket office, and, in the freight room, an amazing diorama of Zachow ca 1949.
View of a wood-frame railroad depot, painted maroon, with trim in a neutral buff color. A sign on the gable end says "Zachow.", the signboard is black with white letters and edging. A short segment of track is along the building's platform, which has some spring snow on it. A sample railroad crossing sign and telegraph pole are in the foreground. Some trees and light industrial buildings are in the background.
May 21, 2025 at 1:18 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
A fog bow, visible to the east of Racine, Wis., over Lake Michigan. It has been much cooler near the lake than a few miles inland, for the past three days. The past two days, a fog bank has been over the lake, occasionally drifting a short distance inland and rolling up my street.
View of Lake Michigan, with blue sky above, darker blue water below, but an indistinct horizon because of fog in the distance. At center, a white dome sits on the horizon, visible against the fog. Some jagged, brown rocks line the shore in the foreground.
May 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
I would eat here.
One-story, narrow storefront, no decoration, painted bright white. Red letters read AL’S HAMBURGER. One door, and one window with an awning with red and white stripes. An older, blue sign is perched on the roofline with neon letters that say EAT. Other brown brick buildings are on either side.
April 4, 2025 at 1:38 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
This morning’s walk, Green Bay, Wis. Here is an old two-door Cadillac I stopped to look at.
Bright sky, old black car with whitewall tires and chrome trim. It sits on a concrete pad, with gravel landscaping next to it. Low, industrial type buildings in the distance.
April 4, 2025 at 1:35 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
"I defer to the MAGA official sitting beside me..."
Cartoon of three Spiderman figures all pointing to each other.
March 25, 2025 at 4:05 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
I first noticed these snowdrops about a week ago. They had actual snow on them a couple times this week, which didn't last long either time. They always are the first flowers in the garden, though today there is a hint, here and there, of other plants emerging from the ground.
Snowdrop flowers emerging from brown leaves and wood chips scattered about a garden area. The plants are quite short, with slender green leaves and stems, and white bulb-shaped blooms that bend back down as if they were tiny reading lamps. It is a sunny day. The skirting of an old front porch is behind the plants at left, with decorative shapes cut into the boards. A drainpipe running down from the porch roof is at center, bending to the right to direct water away from the porch. A red house across the street is visible through some other plants that are still bare of leaves in March.
March 8, 2025 at 5:58 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
Things that make my eyes hurt today: "Raspberry Filled Paczki's".

For the love of all that's good and holy, Italian words like 'biscotti' and 'panini' are already plural. I will vomit a little when I hear someone say, "I like paninis".

And so it is for the Polish pączek...
Brown paper box with cellophane top, showing a pastry in one corner and stains where five other pastries used to be. The label says RASPBERRY FILLED PACZKI'S.
March 3, 2025 at 1:42 PM
therealdcscott.bsky.social
I had cause this week to dig through some things I salvaged when helping to clear out my mother's house three years ago. This Better Homes & Gardens book from the 1940s (late 1950s reissue) is something I almost threw away. It contains a section for a mother to record a baby's progress...
An open book on a table, showing a title page that says, Better Homes and Gardens Baby Book, A handbook for parents by The Better Homes & Gardens Child Care and Training Department". Across both pages, a drawing of families (all white) walking from left to right. The drawing is in black and white, with some garments highlighted in light blue. There are mothers, fathers, babies, children, a couple of baby buggies, some balloons, squirrels, birds. The adults are dressed for fall circa late 1940s, men in suits, women in skirts and coats, all adults wearing hats. The signature is Lorraine Fox, who was a prolific illustrator of her day.
February 26, 2025 at 8:30 PM