Mid-March Snow in Brooklyn (2021 and 2026)

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/mid-march-snow-in-brooklyn-03-12-2026/

Things I Learned: Berlin’s Road Salt Ban

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/berlin-road-salt-ban-02-11-26/

https://thenewleafjournal.com/coca-cola-liquid-death-tag/

I saw glass bottles of Coca Cola next to Liquid Death at a small produce store. Curiously, the Liquid Death price sticker was under the Coke.

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/protecting-new-trees-in-greenpoint-brooklyn/

Mary Frost of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that “[t]he NYC Department of Parks planted 200 new trees in Greenpoint and Williamsburg over the past two weeks, with over a thousand more will becoming to [Council] District 33 within two years…” [Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 11, 2025]. City Councilman Lincoln Restler, who announced the new trees, noted that the young new residents of northern Brooklyn will require maintenance:

Planting trees is just the first step, Restler added, urging locals to pledge to ‘adopt’ one to water and keep healthy and to check out a tree map showing the newly planted saplings.

I do not spend much time in either Greenpoint or Williamsburg, although I have written about both on The New Leaf Journal (see e.g., Donut Fender in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and BLOB DYLAN Seen in Williamsburg (May 2025)). But having granted that I do not spend much time that far north, I have enough of a feel for Brooklyn and areas like Greenpoint and the trendier parts of Williamsburg to note a curious omission in Mr. Restler’s statement. Mr. Restler wants residents to work together to water the new trees. I would be concerned about how residents water the new trees. The quality of dog owners and dog behavior in Brooklyn fell off a cliff beginning in 2020 and shows no sign of improving.

#brooklyn #dogs #greenpoint #lifeInBrooklyn #nyc #trees #williamsburg

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/banning-gas-powered-leaf-blowers-07-11-25/

Morning Brew published an August 10, 2025 article by Brandon Casgrove titled The war on gas-powered leaf blowers. I have thoughts. But first, what is the cause of this so-called war?

Gas-powered leaf blowers are greater polluters than cars, pound for pound, since their engines are smaller and often less efficient.

I do not think that small leaf blowers are moving the needle much here. You need to bring something better than that for a war.

Leaf blowers also kick up particulate matter, which can cause respiratory and heart problems. Plus, gas-powered versions of the lawn care tool can hit 106 decibels, enough to damage hearing, per the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

There we go. That is better. From the perspective of a resident of Brooklyn, New York (brownstone Brooklyn, colloquially speaking), the best reason to crack down on leaf blowers is because they kick up a ton of “particulate matter” on the sidewalk. The second reason is because blowing leaves from the stoop to the street is rather pointless in that the “work” can be undone by an ill-directed gust of wind. I should write an article about this, so I reserve further thoughts for that time.

#brooklyn #leafBlowers #lifeInBrooklyn #nyc

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/amny-shooting-report-questions-07-11-25/

On August 10, 2025, amNY reported on a lethal shooting in Sunset Park (Brooklyn) the night before:

Police said officers from the 72nd Precinct responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at 57th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park.

I have not been to Sunset Park in a while (I discussed it briefly in one NLJ article). I was last there in October 2021 when I walked through the entirety of Sunset Park in the evening (probably starting around 8:30-9:00 PM) on my way home from Dyker Heights/Bay Ridge. It struck me as mostly fine then, but I could see it coming off worse with block parties. But that aside, one part of this article puzzled me:

When they arrived, they found 45-year-old Roberto Cuevas with a gunshot wound to the back amid the remnants of the party.

“[R]emnants of the party” is doing some work here. Were the “remnants” still there waiting for the police to arrive or were they still partying? In light of the fact that someone (possibly a party-goer) shot dead another man (also possibly a party-goer), I suppose both are possible. This phrasing is too open-ended. But setting that aside, I am glad I do not live somewhere where late night/early morning block parties are a thing.

#brooklyn #crime #journalism #lifeInBrooklyn #sunsetPark #walking

Sharing Handwritten Review of the Els Pet “Spaceship”

https://thenewleafjournal.com/sharing-handwritten-review-of-the-els-pet-spaceship/

I found a negative review of a “smart” automated litter box left outside in Brooklyn, New York. I re-print and share the review along with my review of the litter box’s website.

Hip Green Smoothies For April Fools

https://thenewleafjournal.com/hip-green-smoothies-for-april-fools/

Justin has noticed that the “cool” people walk around with unappetizing green drinks in clear cups. This inspires in Justin a plan to have his shake and drink it too.

I recently published a short post on overhearing a woman abusing the word like in an atrocious sentence. On the same day I published that post, I overheard something more articulate, but nevertheless unusual. This was a gentleman in Brooklyn Heights: “They’re not kidding when they say you shouldn’t put pressure on the artery where they went in.” Duly noted. According to my doctor friend, they went with radial access on the man. At least he is on top of things!

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/overheard-on-street-2/

#anecdotes #lifeInBrooklyn #overheard

Carroll Gardens Library Renovations

A short report on reports about the temporary closure of the Carroll Gardens Library with original photographs.

https://thenewleafjournal.com/carroll-gardens-library-renovations/

#CarrollGardens #LifeInBrooklyn #RedHook