“It’s amazing how often people unpack their kitchen stuff and don’t think about how or where they’ll use it.”
— Scott Roewer of the Organizing Agency in D.C.
5 easy ways to get a more organized kitchen
Organizers recommend a functional zone approach
By Jennifer Barger
The Washington Post
SCROLL TIKTOK OR troll HGTV, and you might think kitchen organization begins and ends with open shelving stacked neatly with crisp white plates, or a pantry stocked with clear plastic bins filled with items arranged in rainbow order a la the Home Edit.
In the real world, professional organizers are more likely to recommend thinking of your kitchen in functional zones, and then arranging your pots, gadgets and food around how you cook (or don’t) in the space. “It’s amazing how often people unpack their kitchen stuff and don’t think about how or where they’ll use it,” says Scott Roewer of the Organizing Agency in D.C.
Let the classic kitchen triangle (sink, fridge, stove) guide you as you stash your stuff: Store oils and spices near the cooktop, put the dish rack next to the sink.
If you have a lot of kitchen clutter, start by taking everything out of your cabinets and fridge and grouping items by category (cake pans, dried pastas). Before putting it all back, purge what’s expired or what you no longer need.
Here are other simple principles to help you tackle the main spaces of your kitchen.
The pantry:
Ensure items are visible
Once you’ve sorted nonperishable food and kitchen wares into categories, figure out where to put them back. Store similar items together (canned goods, baking ingredients) and consider affixing labels to the insides of drawers
and cabinets to indicate what goes where.
Being able to easily see and access items in the pantry (or the cabinets that function as one) is key. “If things aren’t shoved into cabinets willy-nilly, you can quickly glance into the pantry and know what you have,” says Dana K. White of A Slob Comes Clean. “Then you can ‘shop’ your kitchen before making dinner.”
Organizing gear can help tame the pantry, too. Onions and potatoes might slip into clear plastic bins or simple baskets; spices can be arranged on stair-stepped risers (think mouse-size bleachers). “And turntables are fantastic, since you can just spin them to access stuff that’s at the back
of a cabinet,” says organizer Anne Mooney of Oakland, Calif. “It’s a circular solution to a square problem.”
The cabinets: Focus on what you use and how you use it
The prime real estate in your cabinets easy-to-reach shelves, drawers close to the dishwasher should be devoted to whichever plates, dishes and cookware you use most often. “It’s about proximity, putting silverware in the drawer right next to the dishwasher, or coffee mugs right above the coffeemaker,” says White.
Drawers will stay neater if you use compartmentalized dividers like silverware trays
and low-profile knife blocks. This also keeps items from sliding around in drawers and becoming jumbled. If your cupboards don’t have slideout shelves (a feature in many newer kitchens), you can add your own pullouts from companies like Rev-a-Shelf, the Container Store’s Elfa or ShelfGenie.
For dishes and glassware you only need a few times a year Grandma’s formal china, large serving platters Roewer suggests “looking beyond the kitchen for storage.”
He keeps his wine goblets and collection of cocktail swizzle sticks in his dining room sideboard and recommends that space-challenged clients place holiday-only plates and cups in padded, zippered containers that they stash in a closet or attic.
The fridge: Treat it like a closet
Pretend your refrigerator is a closet for food, and it may be easier for you to organize it. This means that like goes with like once again. “Subdivide the fridge with one spot for drinks, another for meat and cheese, another for produce,” says Mooney.
You can do that using the drawers the appliance came
with (veggie crisper, fruit drawer) or via a few seethrough plastic bins on the shelves.
Roewer swears by a “file, not pile” storage mantra, particularly in the freezer. “You want to put stuff into the drawer on its side so you can see more of it,” he says. “You can also take things like frozen pizzas out of their excess packaging before you put them away. That can save room.”
Regularly check the expiration dates of refrigerated items and watch for rotting veggies or spoiled meat. Some newer smart fridges use AI to monitor food’s freshness, but you’ll still need to enter in when you bought that lettuce or the “best by” date on that yogurt.
The countertops:
Corral visual clutter
From instant pots to knife blocks, anything you leave on kitchen countertops can add to visual clutter. “Whatever you can do to cut down on the amount of stuff on the counter helps the room feel neater,” says Roewer. “Everyone has a different tolerance level, but in general, the less you have on the counter, the easier it is to keep clean.”
Drawers close to the dishwasher should be devoted to whichever plates, dishes and cookware you use most often.
(ADOBE STOCK PHOTO)
We asked experts whether cooling bedding works. Here’s what they said.
Abundance of mattresses claim to be ‘cooling’
By A nnie M idori Atherton
The Washington Post
AMERICANS ARE facing a hot summer. If you already struggle with overheating at night, you may be intrigued by the abundance of mattresses and other sleep products that claim to be “cooling” an enticing prospect for those sweating through their sheets.
The proliferation of cooling products is a response to the rise of foam-based mattresses, experts say. Traditional innerspring mattresses tend to stay pretty cool because their design allows for airflow. But when memory foam began flooding the market, consumers realized how stuffy they felt.
Companies adapted by tinkering with their models. They had good reason to do so: there is evidence that cooling can aid in sleep quality, says Alison Kole, founding medical director of Oak Health Center Sleep Program and host of the podcast “Sleep is My Waking Passion.”
But the array of options can be overwhelming. As one user posted in the Reddit group r/ mattress, “This is ruining my life, just tell me what the [expletive] to buy.”
It’s made even more challenging by the lack of standardization within the industry. “Cooling is an unregulated term, and everyone takes it to kind of mean a different thing,” says Grace Wu, a product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
And there’s no shortage of chatter on social media about all of the options, further muddying the waters. There
are active Reddit groups devoted to specific brands (r/bedjet and r/eightsleep) as well as the more general r/mattress group, which has 80,000 members. It’s enough to make you dizzy. We’re here to help you find your way in the forest. Understanding the basic technologies is a good starting point.
Cooling mattresses
On a basic level, the more air that can flow through a mattress, the cooler it’s going to stay, says Derek Hales, CEO of sleep product review site NapLab. A spring mattress will be cooler than a hybrid mattress, which uses both coils and foam. A hybrid will generally be cooler than an all-foam latex mattress, and latex is more breathable than memory foam. That said, makers of foam mattresses now have methods to make them cooler. Some use open-cell foam, a spongelike material comprising interconnected air pockets that allow air to circulate. “A breathable proprietary foam can actually work better than gel infusion,” says Marten Carlson, lead mattress reviewer at Mattress Clarity.
Some mattresses are infused with materials, such as gel, charcoal or copper, that manufacturers say will aid in cooling, but the results are varied. Gel-infused foam is somewhat effective at keeping people cool, but according to the Good Housekeeping Institute’s tests,
“Cooling is an unregulated term, and everyone takes it to kind of mean a different thing,”
— Grace Wu, Good Housekeeping Institute
“the effect is typically temporary,” Wu says. It might feel cool when you first lie down, but over the course of the night, that sensation fades.
“While gels can help prevent overheating caused by materials such as memory foam, their actual cooling effects are typically not noticed by our consumer testers,” Wu says. “This is similar for charcoal-infused or copper-infused foams.”
Other mattresses regulate temperature with phase change materials (PCMs), which are used across industries for cooling including in astronaut suits. The technology was developed by a company now known as Outlast Technologies, in partnership with NASA. The company doesn’t sell bedding to consumers, but you may see Outlast listed in the product descriptions of bedding companies such as Slumber Cloud. When a person’s body releases heat, the PCM absorbs the heat energy while undergoing a phase transition (such as from solid to liquid). When the
The proliferation of cooling products is a response to the rise of foam-based mattresses, experts say. But the array of options can be overwhelming. (ADOBE STOCK PHOTO)
body cools down, the material releases that heat again.
Picture tons of tiny parcels of a substance (such as wax) that melt when they reach a certain temperature, pulling heat away from the body.
PCMs are significantly more effective at cooling than products that incorporate gel, Wu says, though they also tend to be more expensive. Generally speaking, you wouldn’t find a mattress with PCMs for less than $1,500 for a queen size, Hales says.
Gel is much more commonly used, he adds, so the prices for products that incorporate it vary widely: “You’ll see gel products used in mattresses as cheap as just a few hundred dollars, and also used in mattresses that are thousands of dollars.”
With any material, quantity matters: a tiny bit of gel, for example, may not do much good, Hales says.
The problem is that companies often don’t state the quantity of materials.
Hales tried mattresses from Octave at different price points that all included a PCM for cooling. With the cheaper model, he couldn’t feel the effects. It was a bit more noticeable with the mid-priced model, but with the priciest model, it was undeniable. In his experience, price can indicate quality differences to an extent.
“You really don’t start to see notably better cooling performance until you’re spending $1,500-$2,000 on a queen,” he says. That’s not to say a cheaper model wouldn’t still be better than one without any cooling features, but the difference may not be dramatic. Some pillows also use gel-infused foam and PCMs, so the same considerations apply.
Lee reich | In the Garden
Time to compost for
ASPARAGUS SEASON
has ended here now, after more than two months of harvest. From now till they yellow in autumn, the green fronds will gather sunlight which, along with nutrients and water, will pack away energy into the roots, energy that will fuel next year’s harvest.
In addition to dealing with the weather, the plants have to contend with weeds. I have to admit, despite being the author of the book “Weedless Gardening,” that my asparagus bed each year is overrun with weeds, mostly two species(!) of oxalis, creeping Charlie, and various grasses. Also weeds parading as asparagus, selfsown plants. This, even though I planted all male varieties. Any batch of male plants typically has a certain, low percentage of female plants. (Still, my garden is weed-less even if it’s not weedless.)
I always wondered about the recommendation to plant asparagus crowns in deep trenches that are gradually filled in with soil as the new plants grow. I read that one reason is that crowns deep in the soil results in thicker, albeit fewer and later, spears. But as if to decide for themselves, research also shows that, over time, shallowly planted crowns naturally settle deeper into the
That inch of dense, dark compost should go a long way to smothering small weeds, which have little reserve energy. The compost then got topped with a couple of inches of wood chips.
ground, and deeply planted crowns inch upwards.
Another reason for deep planting is, perhaps, to protect the crown from tiller blades or hoes. I don’t till and, since the plants anyway take the matters in their own hands, I set my asparagus, years ago when I planted them, just deep enough to get the crowns under the ground.
But back to the weeds in my asparagus bed .... This year I’m determined to get more of the upper hand with weeds. To whit: Yesterday I cut everything — weeds and asparagus — in the bed as low as possible. A brush scythe, which is a scythe with a short, heavy-duty blade, does this job easily and quickly; a weed whacker might also work. One year a battery powered hedge trimmer got the job done.
For me, the scythe works best.
In years past, I would cut everything to the ground, as I did this year, and then I’d top
the bed with a couple of inches of wood chips. This year, to get better weed-less-ness and to offer the asparagus plants a treat as thanks for the many spears that went into cold soups, hot vegetable dishes, and the freezer, I offered them
compost. Although I make lots of compost, that compost is generally reserved for beds within the vegetable garden proper and potting mixes as well as, this year, my newly planted grape vines, and pear and apple trees.
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Slot machine that offers a candy jackpot
but you can score hits and win a roll of candy with this Jennings slot machine. (PHOTO CREDIT: MORPHY AUCTIONS)
“BASE BALL: The Nation’s Greatest Amusement.”
So says this 1930s Jennings slot machine, and we expect few people would disagree. And in terms of great amusements, games of chance aren’t far behind. The O.D. Jennings Company brought them together for a trade stimulator, or as they call it, “Silent Salesman.” This restored example sold at Morphy Auctions for $3,840. The machine tracks outs, runs and innings, but “hits” are made by spinning a combination of symbols. Play to win a roll of Jennings’ Superior Mints.
Q. We were wondering about an interesting hall tree chair my wife got from her deceased great-uncle in 1983. I took it apart in 2015 to refinish it because someone had painted it a dull black color. To my surprise, I found beautiful tiger oak under that black paint! Could you guys tell us something about it? I found a date on the back of the beveled mirror that reads June 1905.
A. The date plus the tiger oak make it sound like your hall tree chair was made in the Golden Oak period, which lasted from about 1880 to 1930. Despite the name, all kinds of oak finishes were popular; not just golden. Oak was coming into favor with furniture makers. New woodworking machines made it easier to work with and possible to mass produce furniture with pressed, carved and turned decorations. They were simpler versions of Victorian styles, sometimes with features borrowed from older periods, and were available to the middle class through mail-order catalogs and as advertising premiums. Multipurpose furniture was popular; the combination desk-bookcase was invented during this period. Based on recent sales, a hall tree chair like yours is worth about $200 to $300. Tiger oak is a contemporary name for quartersawn oak, which is made by sawing logs lengthwise to highlight the grain pattern.
Q. I have a bottle opener by Utica Club in good shape. Could you tell me its worth?
Cooling bedding
With bedding, it’s all about the fabric. “If you are a very sweaty sleeper, you want to look for a material that absorbs a lot of moisture and will wick it away,” says Jamie Ueda, a freelance product tester.
Some breathable natural fabrics may not be labeled as “cooling” because they don’t use special technology to achieve that feel. For example, Ueda recommends linen and percale cotton (a weave with a crisp, lightweight feel). Wu agrees, adding that with cotton, a
lower thread count, such as 250-300, will be more breathable than something with a higher count (though the fabric won’t be as strong, so you have to weigh your priorities). Lower thread count cotton sheets are typically more affordable, too, ranging from below $50 to around $130 on the higher end.
Then there are performance fibers, such as rayon, which feels cool to the touch, or nylon, which wicks moisture from the body, Wu says. TENCEL Lyocell (which is derived from wood) is also popular for its breathability and cool feeling. Costs for performance fabrics range widely, but many reviewers’ top choices hover around $150-$250. Wu has a cooling comforter from Rest, which uses a custom
Evercool fabric made of nylon and spandex that’s designed to be extra moisture-wicking for people who experience night sweats. Some sheets and duvets also use PCM. Slumber Cloud sells a line of bedding with Outlast technology, including a lightweight comforter as well as a performance sheet set that was Good Housekeeping Institute’s top pick for cooling sheets.
Cooling gadgets
If all else fails, there’s technology that can help cool your bed. The BedJet ($599), for example, pulls air from the room and blows it directly into your bedding. There are also water-based pads such as the Chilipad Cube Bed Sleep System, which pumps water
A. Utica Club started as a soft drink company in Utica, New York. During Prohibition (1920-1933), the company sold “near beers” and malt tonics. When Prohibition ended, they were the first brewery to legally sell alcohol again. Anything related to beer or breweries is worth something to breweriana collectors. Bottle openers sell for a wide range of prices. Simple “church key” types stamped with the brewery’s name can sell for $10 or less. Larger, more elaborate figural bottle openers can be worth hundreds of dollars. A collector’s club or auction house specializing in breweriana, like the National Association of Breweriana Advertising (nababrew com), Tavern Trove (taverntrove.com) or Morean Auctions (moreanauctions. com) can help you find more information and prices for specific openers.
Q. I have a lovely painting by E. Beisswenger that I got at the Goodwill store. It is bright, peaceful looking and in excellent condition. Any information would be appreciated.
through thin tubes embedded in a mattress topper, allowing you to adjust the temperature from a remote control. You can buy one for just one side of the bed (beginning at $649) or outfit both sides for about twice the cost. And there are smart beds and toppers, such as the Eight Sleep Pod, which uses water-based thermal elements in addition to smart sensors to regulate a person’s temperature. Reviewers say it works, but the cost is high (more than $4,000 for the newest one) and there’s a subscription fee to access all features.
Annie Midori Atherton is a writer in Seattle who covers culture, lifestyle, business and parenting.
Most of us won’t hit a home run on the playing field,
KOVELS,
Average long-term US mortgage rate falls again
Rates ease to lowest level since April
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
Home loan borrowing costs eased again this week as the average rate on a 30-year mortgage declined to its lowest level since early April.
The rate fell to 6.87% from 6.95% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.
A year ago, the rate averaged 6.67%.
Deeds
AGAWAM
Benjamin L. Bland, Whitney M. Jackson and Jason A. Bland to Maritza L. Zavala, 420 Main St., Unit #82, $157,500.
Douglas Dichard and Douglas J. Dichard to Mikalai Shmatok and Inna Morgun, 158 Florida Drive, $320,000.
Elisa A. Stokowski, representative, and Marianne R. Stokowski, estate, to Matthew Balsamo, 85 Fox Farm Road, $370,000.
Ellen Moriarty, Denise Miltimore, Denise Miltmore and Sharol Menard to Kelsey Granaudo, 15 Southwest St., $299,000.
Jane R. Beresford to Steven Garrett and Jamie Garrett, 207 Poplar St., $350,000.
John A. Grunfeld to James E. Angell and Marion F. Roberts, 12 Beekman Drive, $265,000.
Lynn C. Davis, trustee, and Davis Family Trust, trustee of, to Timothy L. Gibson and Donna Gibson, 1215 Main St., $301,000.
Maks Realty LLC, to Emanuel Correa, Emanuel Correa Cruz and Aida Elizabeth Correa, 55 River Road, $295,000.
Property Advantage Inc., to Estate Whiz LLC, and Marcin Kosinski, 75 Regency Park, Unit 75, $105,000.
Roger W. Burleson Jr., and Mary E. Burleson to Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and A-O-k- Realty Trust, trustee of, 484 South West St., $231,000.
AMHERST
Rachel A. Borson to Karen Elsa Kopper, 27 Heatherstone Road, $620,000.
This is the third straight weekly decline in the average rate, which has mostly hovered around 7% since April. Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing options.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week, lowering the average rate to 6.13% from 6.17% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.03%, Freddie Mac said.
“Mortgage rates fell for the third straight week following signs of cooling inflation and market expectations of a future Fed rate cut,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.
Home loan rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy and the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
Yields have mostly eased recently following some economic data showing slower
growth, which could help keep a lid on inflationary pressures and convince the Federal Reserve to begin lowering its main interest rate from its highest level in more than 20 years.
Federal Reserve officials said last week that inflation has fallen further toward their target level of 2% in recent months and signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate once this year.
The central bank had previously projected as many as three cuts in 2024.
Robert Pam, Dorothy S. Pam and Dorothy Pam to Panda Bear LLC, 229 Amity St., $715,000.
Peter J. Greenwald and Phyllis M. Bermingham to Shelly A. Perdomo-Ahmed and Amer Perdomo-Ahmed, 5 Stony Hill Road, $720,000.
Douglas M. Horne to Murray Gintis and Victoria Gintis, 17 Baldwin Lane, $439,900.
Tatiana V. Nikitina to Kyoma Coelho Brazao and Aline Lyra, 170 East Hadley Road, $271,600.
Debra C. Tinkham, Debra C. Tinkham, personal representative, John J. Cashman Jr., estate, Jennie J. Cashman, estate, Debra C. Tinkham, trustee, and Debra C. Tinkham Revocable Trust to 24 Dickinson LLC, Kelley Square, $10,000.
Kenneth D. Mireault, personal representative, Kenneth D. Mireault and Mary Teresa Mireault, estate, to 24 Dickinson LLC, Kelley Square, $25,000.
Katherine O. Garrison, Katherine Verdickt and Robert Garrison to Hannah Uebele, Nate Hurwitz and
Nathaniel Hurwitz, 561 Station Road, $800,000.
ASHFIELD
Donna Cranmore Elwell, trustee of the Donna Cranmore Elwell Investment Trust, and William Davison Elwell, trustee of the William Davison Elwell Investment Trust, to John A. Pinto, trustee of the John A. Pinto Revocable Trust and Margaret H. Pinto, trustee of the Margaret H. Pinto Revocable Trust, Baptist Corner Road, $41,500.
BELCHERTOWN
Tina Lequin, Lisa Judkins, conservator, and William W. Lequin Jr., to Neil Jackson, Stebbins Street, $67,000.
Darrell Probst, Darrell Rea Probst, Darrell R. Probst, Joanne Holtje and Joanne Elizabeth Holtje to Darrell Probst, 160 Old Enfield Road, $100.
Kenneth J. Pietras and Michelle M. Pietras to Willard A. McKinstry III, and Michaela M. Thomas, 31 Maplecrest Drive, $426,000.
Manuel A. Andrade and Susan O.
Until the Fed begins lowering its short-term rate, long-term mortgage rates are unlikely to ease significantly, economists say.
The average rate on a 30year mortgage remains near a two-decade high, discouraging many would-be homebuyers. The elevated rates contributed to a lackluster spring homebuying season.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in March and April as home shoppers contended with rising borrowing costs and prices.
Andrade to Christina Elizabeth Fitch, 160 Gold St., $740,000.
Darren J. Chevalier, Gail A. Chevalier and Gail A. Laprade to Katelyn Bachand and Mark D. Bachand, 332 Mill Valley Road, $400,000.
Jeramy Sands to Barry L. Reaves, 479 South St., $625,000.
BLANDFORD
John W. Leveille and Carolyn A. Leveille to Bryce C. Shattie and Sara M. Reid, 8 Beulah Land Road, Lot 3, $60,000.
CHESTER
David B. Alward and Susan E. Vollrath to William A. Farris and Jessica E. Farris, 0 Bromley Road, $25,000.
Rosemary F. Wertelet, and Wertelet 2010 Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Nicholas J. Chiusano and Elizabeth Massa, 0 Round Hill Road, $70,000.
CHICOPEE
Endo Realty LLC, to Leeann Rose, 571 Britton St., $360,000.
Partyka Partners Limited Partnership, Partyka Partners GP Trust, trustee of, and Joan Partyka, trustee, to Maria A. Rosario and Maria T. Gonzalez, 128 Marion St. Extn., $273,800.
Gilberto Torres Rodriguez and Lizbeth Rivera to Jazzminlee Exzaina Rosado, 16 Willette St., $275,000.
Gilles A. Rheaume and Gail T. Rheaume to Israel Lopez, 50 Hilton St., $320,000.
Gregory A. Bernash, Megan A. Bernash and Megan A. Doray to Breann Grenier, 7 Oxford St., $300,000.
Justin Doyle to Zachary Gordon, 80 Hilton St., $370,000.
Patricia A. Samson to Khando Kyi, 32 Rita St., $350,000.
Ronald Skiba, representative, and Edward F. Skiba, estate, to Robert T. Doyle, 50 Woodstock St., $240,000. Rosemarie N. Sullivan, representative, and Jeannette S. Provost, estate, to Joshua Mills, 23 Ludger Ave., $271,000.
Shawn P. Burnham, estate, and Shannon Woishnis, representative, to Jacob R. Kapinos, 200 Lambert Terrace, #79, $235,000.
Stag Industrial Holdings LLC, to Area Chicwh LLC, 2189 Westover Road, $12,400,000.
Vincent T. Comeau to Christopher Tatarczuk, 190 Greenwood Terrace, Unit 6004B, $190,000.
Yvonne M. Campbell, representative, Charles Theodore Shaddock Sr., estate, and Charles T. Shaddock, estate, to David G.. Wilson and Shannon M. Yaremchak, 427 Irene St., $270,000.
DEERFIELD
Lorna E. Sevene, “aka” Lorna Sevene, to Daniel M. Kuzmeskus and Marilyn J. Kuzmeskus, Upper Road and Off Upper Road, $95,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Avens LLC, to Armando Andres Suniaga Cardozo and Alexandra Ruszczyk, 194 Mapleshade Ave., $375,000.
Dnepro Properties LLC, to Jonathan M. Mugford and Krystle R. Armand, 471 Porter Road, $530,000. Happy Acres LLC, to Michael Carabetta, Happy Acres Lane, Lot 9, $199,000.
Nicholas J. Shea, Ashley W. Shea and Ashley L. Weber to Michael J. Wilkins and Rosanna Fantone Wilkins, 26 Cedar Hill Road, $385,000.
Deeds
EASTHAMPTON
Paul St. John Frisoli to Avi Steinhardt and Heather Steinhardt, 4 Ward Ave., $404,000.
David A. Hardy Contractor LLC, to Carol A. Dube, trustee, Leo P. Dube, trustee, and Dube Revocable Trust, Strong Street, $180,000.
Marek Gazda and Rebecca L. Gazda to Steven N. LaValley, trustee, Alicia C. LaValley, trustee, and LaValley Amended & Restated Revocable Trust, 2 Mechanic St., $275,000.
John R. Hawley and Lynn R. Hawley to Steven J. Fickert, 75 Holyoke St., $150,000.
Lorna Karolyn Hunt to Jacob Boillat and Samantha Giffen, 10 Beyer Drive, $420,000.
John A. Knybel and Melissa M. Knybel to Shayne Taylor and Jake Taylor, 17 Fort Hill Road, $750,000.
GREENFIELD
Donald Arthur Baker Jr., “aka” Donald A. Baker Jr., and Jennifer Jane Newton, “aka” Jennifer J. Newton, to Annette Maxon, 11 Cedar Glen Circle, Unit 11 Greenfield Town Homes Condominium. $212,000.
Howell Chickering, trustee of the Howell Chickering Revocable Trust, and Sara Jane Moss, trustee of the Sara Jane Moss Revocable Trust, to Hope H. Fitzgerald and James M. Sexton, 50 Highland Ave., $537,000.
Binney Road Properties LLC, Jean Brose and Carolyn Z. Rablen, “fka” Carolyn Zuk, to 163 Wells Street LLC, Off Wells Street, $20,000.
Devin R. Tomlinson, “aka” Devon R. Tomlinson, Ramona Tomlinson and Tyler J. Tomlinson to Andrew Conant, Melanie Conant and Tara Spencer, 14 Myers Farm Lane, Unit 14 Myers Farm Condominium, $295,000.
Carol J. Avonti, trustee of the Judith B. Stein Revocable Living Trust, to DSK Real Estate LLC, 215, “fka” 225”, Wells St., $385,000.
Shawn S. Fitzherbert to Jeffrey Bengtson, 119 Shelburne Road, $308,000.
HAMPDEN
FBS Inc. to Hennessey Williams Properties LLC, 15 Commercial Drive, $800,000.
HATFIELD
Jean M. Koester and Jonathan Tucker to Danielle Anderson and Christopher Anderson, Depot
Road, $179,000.
Naples Home Buyers Trust, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Dominic Santaniello, trustee, to Tascon Homes LLC, 12 Dwight St., $260,000.
Grand River Holdings LLC, to Kathyrn M. Chiavaroli, 40 North Hatfield Road, $100.
Grand River Holdings LLC, to Peter P. Grandonico Jr., 41 North Hatfield Road, $100.
Danielle A. Lenhard to Julia Eden McGlew and Daniel Wesley Entrikin, 339 West St., $349,000.
Jamison A. Bradshaw and Alexandria S. Moore to Ian Saisselin and Kirsten Beck, 66 Chestnut St., $530,000.
HEATH
John Breen, Wendy Breen and James Hillmann to Lori Hinkel, 21 Lakeview Drive, $31,000.
HOLLAND
Richard Riga and Kimberly Hemingway to Brittany Corson and Chad Keene, Heritage Drive, $17,000.
Roy St. Andre and Lorie St. Andre to Brooke Roberts and Kyle Roberts, 17 Candlewood Drive, $560,000.
HOLYOKE
Anastacio Laureano Jr., and Luz Laureano to Jose L. Rivera, 21-23 View St., $375,000.
Jahjan LLC, to Alycar LLC, 1412 Dwight St., $178,500.
John M. Gaughan and Kimberly A. Gaughan to Mario Xavier Colon-Escalante, 3-5 Russell Terrace, $400,000.
Keith Kennedy, representative, Lillian O’Shea, estate, and Lillian Kennedy, estate, to Ivan R. Belvis-Navarro and Lilliam Torres-Santiago, 166 Michigan Ave., $340,000.
Robert A. Griffin and Muriel Griffin to Charles Richard Moeller, Charles Moeller and Eileen Moeller, 85 Dupuis Road, $351,000.
Shamika Santos to John Avolin II, 355 Chestnut St., $317,000.
LONGMEADOW
Brian T. Foley and Julie O. Foley to John E. Dowd III, and Vanessa M. Dowd, 100 Jonquil Lane, $740,000.
John D. Mann, trustee, and Ann G. Mann Reidence Trust, trustee of, to Vincent L. Dimauro and Patricia L. Dimauro, 38 Morgan Ridge, Unit 302, $385,000.
John D. Stankiewicz and Maria Brugnoli to Christopher Stohlmeyer and Ann Stohlmeyer, 29 Hop-
kins Place, $520,000.
John E. Dowd III, Vanessa M. Dowd and Vanessa M. Egan to Todd Young and Danielle Young, 34 Roseland Terrace, $400,000.
Kihan Francis Lee, trustee, Melinda Dodson Lee, trustee, and Kihan Francis Lee 2020 Trust, trustee of, to Beverly Moore, 295 Pinewood Drive, $885,000.
Megan Oksendahl and Valerie E. Oksendahl to Chiwai Chow and Bixia Lin Chow, 40 Barbara Lane, $560,000.
Patricia B. Ahearn to Michael Scibelli, 203 Wolf Swamp Road, $360,000.
Tatyana S. Jacobs to MA Cardinal Group LLC, 137 Sheffield Ave., $205,000.
LUDLOW
Albert G. Chenaille and Mary U. Chenaille to William E. Silvia and Minh Phuong Ho, 626 Alden St., $320,000.
Christine S. Davis, representative, and Jeffrey M. Davis, estate, to Nelson G. Duarte and Emily Degerstrom, 517 Ideal Lane, Unit 602, $389,900.
Christopher H. Newman to John E. Gomes Jr., and Jennifer Gomes, 13 Salli Circle, $387,500.
Christopher J. Lemek, trustee, Debbie A. Lemek, trustee, Christopher J. Lemek Revocable Trust, trustee of, and Elizabeth A. Babinski to Dale Varney and William McMahon, 26 Ray St., $210,000.
Fernando J. Dossantos to Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC, Deponte Drive, Lot 7, $105,301.
Paula Rose Purdy to Louis F. Gatti, 141 Kirkland Ave., $393,500.
Thustle Lynn Krawczyk, representative, Steven J. Krawczyk, representative, and Richard J. Jaciow, estate, to JRCHR LLC, 1 Parkview St., $240,000.
MONSON
Arthur L. Goneau and Joanne Henry Goneau to Laura Asson and Bradley Lord, Silver St., Lot 6, $84,900.
Barry S. Drinkwine and Michelle A. Drinkwine to Nicolas Bates, 14 Macomber Road, $578,000.
Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Grosz Realty Trust, trustee of, to Catherine L. Kingsbury-Jindela and Patrick T. O’Loughlin, O Boston Road East, $4,500.
Edward S. Harrison, estate, and Holly Harrison, representative, to Daniel Mark Nale, 7 Beebe Road, $290,000.
Gayle W. Hsiao and Allen S. Hsiao to Robert Bukowski, 156v Silver St., $96,000.
Jeffrey A. Pokorny and Catherine M. Pokorny to Wendy Sears and Eric Gilbert, 431 Lower Hampden Road, $46,000.
Katherine O. Punch, representative, Geoffrey Hay Osgood, estate, and Geoffrey H. Osgood, estate, to Shamus P. King, 9 Brimfield Road, $350,000.
Matthew R. Currier and Erika Currier to Sarah Marie Mosiashvili and Gargi Mosiashvili, 21 Bradway Road, $490,000.
Yvette Rioux to Pah Properties LLC, 57 Stafford Road, $141,149.
MONTAGUE
Anna R. Leschen-Lindell to Zoe C. Abram and William S. Van Heuvelen, 91 Taylor Hill Road, $890,000.
Erin M. Herzig and Rudolph A. Herzig Jr., to Timothy Sheperd, 13 Coolidge Ave., $307,500.
Lisa R. Sweeney to Martin E. Dowty and Heather V. Dowty, trustee of the Dowty Family Trust, 185 Wendell Road, $260,000.
NEW SALEM
Donna M. Ballantine and Edith P. Watson to Daniel H. Lewis and Elizabeth Joy Tomasz, 337 Wendell Road, $330,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Robert Brick and Janet Sheppard to David L. Sheppard-Brick and Xiaojing Jing, 27B Lyman Road, $350,000.
Lauren V. Alteio to Cole & Brook LLC Inc., 74 Barrett St., $215,000.
Laura J. Wright to Angela McKenna and Trent McKenna, 123 South St., $376,500.
Great Falls Properties LLC, to Bulldog Realty Group LLC, 15-17 Ferry Ave., $430,000.
Mary Worcester to Lucas Giusto, trustee, Dominic Santaniello, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, 228-234 Main St., $95,000.
David L. Perkins Sr., trustee, Nancy L. Perkins, trustee, and David L. & Nancy L. Perkins Living Trust to Eric Berzins, 691 Park Hill Road, $948,300.
ORANGE
Jamison E. Kahn to Ryan Hulbert, 100 Oaklawn Ave., $294,000.
Cheryl A. Young to Finlay Stewart and Kimberly Stewart, 25 Beacon St., $300,000.
Jason M. Dodge and Joshua L. Dodge to Willow Street LLC, Lake Avenue, $140,000.
Victoria L. Peele and Zacchary M. Peele to Russell Bilodeau, 118 Putnam St., $325,000.
PALMER
Jonathan E. Neumann and Carol M. Neumann to Shaw Development Inc., 99 Longview St., $300,000.
Mark D. Bachand II, and Katelyn Bachand to Julia Claire Emond Maturo and Seamas C. Greene, 22 Harvey St., $304,000.
Raymond J. Taylor to Frank Mendelsohn, 242 Old Warren Road, $70,250.
PELHAM
Judith M. Hudson, trustee, and Hex Realty Trust to Alfred B. Hudson, 111 Amherst Road and 11 Amherst Road, $100.
SHELBURNE
Kathleen G. Ainsworth to Carolyn W. Wheeler and John L. Wheeler, Little Mohawk Road, $10,000.
SHUTESBURY
John Gary Bernhard, trustee of the John Gary Bernhard Declaration of Trust, and Joann Bernhard to Adam V. Wellen, 315 Montague Road, $427,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Conrad A. Poulin and Conrad Poulin to Michael Poulin, trustee, Benjamin Poulin, trustee, and Conrad Poulin Irrevocable Trust, 6 Cordes Court, $100.
Debbora Battaglia to Erika Jennings, trustee, John Eric Hoffman, trustee, and Jennings Hoffman Living Trust, 23 Ashfield Lane, $546,800.
Bruce Blanchard and Karen Blanchard to Bruce Blanchard, 16 McKinley Ave., $100.
Francine Resler, Jeffrey Resler, Stacy Resler Tobin, Stacy Resler Tobin, attorney-in-fact, and Jeffrey Resler, attorney-in-fact, to Charlene Lapan, 509 Alvord Place, $375,000.
Nancy E. Leone-LeBlanc, personal representative, Francis D. LeBlanc, estate, and Francis Dolor Leblanc, estate, to Andre J. Duquette and Dawn M. Duquette, 47 Columbia St., $250,000.
Malena C. Tracy to Ester Soares Rodrigeus, 38 Mountain Ave., $445,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Vincent R. Snyder and Marjorie E. Snyder to Jeffrey M. Clark, trustee, Esther D. Clark, trustee, and Esther D. Clark Solo K Trust, 9 Cold Spring Road, $485,000.
Deeds
SPRINGFIELD
Aida Correa and Emanuel Correa Cruz to Juan E. Garcia and Lendy Cuevas Coronado, 48 Palmer Ave., $294,000.
Anthony Daniel Decesare, Mary Lynn Decesare and Mary Lynn Keeler to Francheska Melendez Santos and Christian I Cruz Rivas, 120-122 East Alvord St, $304,000.
Austin Littles and Jeremy Arsenault to Orlando Ramos, 6-8 Pinevale St., $288,000.
Carla A. Cooper and Heather Klein to Holly S. Friedman, 190 Talmadge Drive, $217,000.
Carlos Porfirio to Round Two LLC, 169 Centre St., $250,000.
Dean T. Kibbe to JT Realty Associates Inc., 81 James St., $102,000. Devin Hoagland and Savana Hoagland to Starling Noel Diaz Agramonte and Jennifer Morales De Diaz, 17-19 Sterling St., $370,000.
DFG Property Group LLC, to Michael Santos, 287 Belmont Ave., 289, $388,000.
Dnepro Properties LLC, to Juan Miguel Escobar and Emilie Wilkinson, 95 Windemere St., $355,000.
Earl R. Rule III, to Julien Coppry, 156 Garland St., $287,500.
Eich Estates Inc., to Christopher Vachon, 191 Hampden St., $245,000.
Francia Karina De Jesus De Nunez and Blas Nunez to Ejike Okeke and Kehinde Okeke, 174 Allen St., $286,000.
Full House Properties LLC, to Rengui Qiao and Guiru Gu, 52-54 Fremont St., $280,000.
H&P Investments LLC, to Benny Flores, 40 Belmont Ave., $285,000.
Jamal Porter to Anthony Porter, 36 Cleveland St., $300,000.
JoeJoe Properties LLC, to Elizabeth Crespo-Colon, 172 Rosewell St., $285,000.
Lapheris Powers, trustee, Berkeley-Monmouth Realty Trust, trustee of, and Berkeley Monmouth Realty Trust, trustee of, to Chenevert Properties LLC, 42 Berkeley St., $165,000.
Linda M. Laliberte, representative, Serge Joseph Laliberte, estate, and Serge J. Laliberte, estate, to Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, 195 Garland St, $120,000.
Lisa M. Rosario to Miguel Jose Ambert Ortiz and Angelica Maria Acosta, 39 Meredith St.,
$265,000.
Livingwater Capital LLC, to 74 Alder Street LLC, 61-63 Woodlawn St., $425,000.
Long River Realty LLC, to Sarah Simpson, 56 Leyfred Terrace, $200,000.
Maria A. Alvarez to Napolitano Roofing of Massachuetts LLC, Eagle Street, $145,000.
Maria Escalera to Maria J. Chimborazo Chimborazo and Manuel E. Muyulema Tenezaca, 14-16 Brightwood Ave., $423,000.
Marilyn Sanchez and Pedro Ayala Jr., to Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Dorcas Realty Trust, trustee of, 39 Moore St., $40,400.
Michael R. Godek and Victoria Godek to Jorge Luis Nunez Lizarraga, 106 Harkness Ave., $295,000.
Michele Cuozzo to Jacquelyn Marie Curving, 62 Sylvester St., $225,000.
Molly L. B. Dill to Edward Francis Teague Jr., and Erika Teague, 384 Forest Hills Road, $382,000.
Nadine Pallazola to Malia Homebuyers LLC, 85 Braddock St., $139,000.
Nancy Pujals, representative, and Rosa Rodriguez, estate, to Anibal M. Merida and Maria E. Merida Zacarias, 237-239 White St., $330,000.
Nicholas G. Axton to B9 Industries Inc., 858 Belmont Ave., $288,000.
Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., trustee, and Home Equity Mortgage Loan Trust Series Inabs 2006-E, trustee of, to Casa Trio LLC, 128-130 Oak Grove Ave., $168,525.
Omar Loaiza to Ashley Cora Philpott and Collin David Hess, 85 Barber St., $235,000.
Rebecca Hayward to William J. Hayward Jr., and Rebecca L. Hayward, 1806 Parker St., $100.
Richard A. Sibilia, Debra A. Sibilia-Berthiaume, Debra A. Wilczewski and Nancy Ann Sibilia to Heather Noonan and Jingyi Zeng, 150 Dayton St., $361,000.
Samuel Peront to Jared Borja, 23 Belvidere St., $250,000.
Shannon L. Frederick, Dona Jean Frederick and Maura Supinski to Ellen Silva Edwards, 30 Wexford St., $300,000.
Shirley D. Lertora to Shamari Jamar Kelly and Katelyn Lacosse, 22 Gertrude St., $265,000.
Stephen L. Hall, trustee, and Morison Terrace Realty Trust, trustee of, to Elliette M. Ochoa, 21 Morison Terrace, $280,000.
Timothy Jewell, representative, and Fannie B. Jewell, estate, to Theodore Jewell, 23 Dartmouth St., $179,000.
Van Truong to Jacky Truong, 646 Sumner Ave., $100.
William Raleigh to Todd Hanks, 99 Venture Drive, $400,000.
Yamilet Boston and Sean C. Boston to Andrew C. Marshall, 34 Dorchester St., $383,000.
SUNDERLAND
Steven D. Chamberlin, trustee of the Steven D. Chamberlin Revocable Trust, to Meghan E. Sikorski and Todd D. Sikorski, 194 Montague Road, $785,000.
Robert L. Hesseltine, trustee of Robert L. Hesseltine Family Trust, to Trevor Fil and Dallas Hubert, 70 Plumtree Road, $509,000.
WALES
Mark G. Poirier to Gary Burdick and Elaine Burdick, Tiderman Road, Lot A1, $40,000.
WARE
David G. Cook to David G. Cook and Justin C. Cook, 298 Belchertown Road, $100.
David M. Bera and Heather Bera to Harris Holdings LLC, 193 West St., $350,000.
Melanie C. Mettig and Nancy C. Godbout, conservator, to Alycar Investments LLC, 22 Church St., $140,000.
Anthony F. Koczur and Anthony F. Koczur Jr., to Devon M. Koczur, 64 Aspen St., $100.
Deborah A. Mandella and Deborah A. Jackson to Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Cioccolate Realty Trust, Osborne Road, $36,500.
Sarah J. Douglas, Steven J. Deprey, Roxanne Douglas and Roxanne Deprey to Jakor Lopez and David Layte, 44 Bank St., $250,000.
Robert L. Morini to Mackaiden C. Morini, 312 Beaver Lake Road, $100.
Wicked Deals LLC, to Haley Remodeling LLC, 29 Aspen St., $150,000.
John O. Moore and Katherine M. Sarrasin to Stephen Cedeno and Aubrey Cedeno, 39 Homecrest Ave., $280,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Arkadiy Norkin to ATM Property LLC, 57 Worthen St., $300,000.
Bernard G. Bacon and Pamela R. Bacon to Matthew Fitzmeyer, 488 Cold Spring Ave., $161,000.
Judith Ann Bouchard to Manchester Enterprises LLC, 15 Hazel St., $235,000.
Lucille R. MacDonald, estate, and
Glenn D. MacDonald, representative, to No Limit Assets LLC, 81 Rogers Ave., $220,000.
Lyudmila Dubinchik and Yevgeniy Norkin to ATM Property LLC, 4042 East School St., $350,000.
Susan Skypeck Coppola, John R. J. Skypeck and Ruth E. Skypeck to Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, 63 Ashley St., $160,000.
Ulugbek Gusenov to Harka Rai and Lachhi Rai, 44 Day St, $315,000.
WESTFIELD
Brittany Dalton to Kane James Miller, 555 Russell Road, Unit J-61, $199,000.
Christopher Eck, Regan Eck and Regan Lenane to Andrew Thompson and Melissa M. Borges, 74 Ridgeway St., $292,000.
Elizabeth A. Zabielski to Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, 11 Conner Ave., $100,000.
Joanne Black, Lynn Canterbury and Joanne E. Black to Nicholas Black, 225 Birch Bluff Drive, $300,000.
Kenneth E. St. Sauveur, trustee of, Stuart W. St. Sauveur, trustee of, and Jane St. Sauveur Irrevocable Income-only Trust I, trustee of, to Stephanie Gale and Andrew Gale, 324 Steiger Drive, $400,000.
Margaret M. Considine to Cameron DiSanto and Gabrielle DiSanto, 52 Pleasant St., $280,000.
Melissa Heishman and Melissa B. Cronin to Brenda L. Chaffee, 6 Tow Path Lane, $357,500.
Michael R. Townsley and Charlie D. Townsley to Elena Warters, 974 Russell Road, $371,250.
Thomas Corell, representative, and Robert Seher, estate, to Plumrose Development LLC, 1295 Southampton Road, $340,000.
WESTHAMPTON
Donald P. Graham, trustee, and Donald & Nancy Graham Family Real Estate Trust to Kael Miyata and Bryanne MacDonald, 43 Northwest Road, $490,000.
WHATELY
Michael R. Sorrell, trustee of the Michael R. Sorrell 2022 Trust, to Michael Busa, 105 Webber Road, $173,300.
WILBRAHAM
Nancy T. Walas to Abigail R. Anselmo, 130 Stony Hill Road, $282,474.
Kitchen
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2
Magazine-worthy minimalism might not be possible in real life. But you can limit the load on your counters by clearing out a cabinet for storing small appliances, replacing a countertop microwave with a drawer model, or buying a dish-drying rack that folds or rolls up so it can be stored out of sight when it’s not in use.
Corral the items you do leave on the counter in containers or “stations.”
Place wooden spoons and spatulas in an oversize jar by the stove or create a beverage station with mugs, tea bags and a sugar canister on a tray next to the coffee machine.
Under the sink or above the stove: Maximize tight spots
When kitchen space is at a premium, awkward spaces can morph into storage spots. “Even though there are plumbing pipes under the sink, you could still add rollout drawers or install shelving for other supplies,” says Shannon Kadwell, a kitchen and bath designer at Maryland’s Anthony Wilder Design/Build. Or place a small tension rod across the length of the under-sink cabinet, just in front of the pipes, and hang bottles of cleaning supplies from it, nozzles first.
While the tiny cabinets above some range hoods usually get too hot for food storage, they can work for water bottles. Stack them horizontally on their sides, with or without a small rack to hold them in place. “And if you have space above your cabinets, put that to use,” says Roewer. “But anything placed in a high spot like that can get greasy or dusty, so put things you don’t use often — holiday cookie cutters, party supplies — in bins with lids.”
Jennifer Barger is a writer in D.C. who covers home and travel.
Asparagus is worth it, so I dug into my most finished compost bin, filled up two garden carts, and slathered a one-inch layer of compost over the whole bed. That inch of dense, dark compost should go a long way to smothering small weeds, which have little reserve energy.
The compost then got topped with a couple of inches of wood chips. The compost will nourish the asparagus ... and the weeds, most of which I hope will be sufficiently young or weakened to not push up through the compost and the wood chips to light.
That was a lot of compost to part with. No problem, because I’ve also been making lots of compost. Plus, a few bins I built last year, each with about one-and-half cubic yards of compost, are ready to use or will be so in the coming weeks.
The bins themselves are made from 1x6 boards of composite wood (a mixture of waste wood, recycled and new plastic, and some type of binding agent), such as used for decking, notched to stack together Lincoln-log style. It keeps moisture and heat in, and scavengers and weeds more or less out, and doesn’t degrade, as did my previous wood bins.
GARDEN NOTES
STOCKBRIDGE
Firefly watch
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs: Friday, June 28, 8 to 9:30 p.m., “Evening Firefly Watch.”
Join Dale Abrams, regional education manager for Mass Audubon in Western Massachusetts, to learn about the lives and habitat needs of fireflies, and view their ephemeral glowing light.
After a brief indoor introduction, take a twilight stroll
I feed my compost pets — earthworms, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms — hay from my small field, manure from a nearby horse farm, kitchen waste, old garden plants, and anything else biodegradable. The latter category has included old leather shoes and garden gloves, jeans, and, as an experiment, biodegradable(?) plastic spoons.
The compost also gets occasional sprinklings of soil, to add bulk, and ground limestone. Periodic liming is generally needed to counteract the acidity of most soils of northeastern U.S.; my soil gets limed indirectly, via the compost.
Water is commonly the most limiting ingredient in home composts. Lots of water is necessary to percolate down into a pile. Rather than getting bored with a hose wand, after finishing an extended composting session, I set up a small sprinkler on the pile, whose spread is as wide as the pile, to gently water for about 20 minutes.
Of course, the devil is in the details: how much of each ingredient to add. Not to worry, though. Any pile of organic materials will eventually turn to compost.
Any gardening questions? Email them to me at garden@ leereich.com and I’ll try answering them directly or in this column. Come visit my garden at www.leereich.com/blog.
around the gardens and meadows for firefly viewing while keeping our eyes open for the stars and planets, and listening for twilight birds and mammals. Participants will also learn ways to support firefly health in their yard and community. Cost $15 members, $20 nonmembers; Saturday, June 29, 1 to 4 p.m., “Summer tree Identification.”
Led by Tom Ingersoll and Melissa LeVangie Ingersoll. Participants will revisit trees through the seasons (this class will look at the summer season) and witness their unique characteristics.
Kovels
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F6
A. Look at your local library for online resources like Artnet, Artbnk or, if the artist is American, the Smithsonian American Art Museum which can help you find information about the artist and the values for their paintings. If there is an art museum in your area, or a college or university with a fine arts department, see if they will authenticate art for the public. Many art museums do this. Some auction galleries also have appraisal days.
Q. I was given a matching clock and a lighter many years ago and cannot find any information about them anywhere. I’d like to find out their worth. The clock mechanism states “G Lux Clock MFG ___ Bury Conn USA.” The lighter piece appears to be brass, and the larger screw has “Evans Fuel” stamped on it.
A. The Lux Clock Manufacturing Company was founded in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1914 and was sold to the Robertshaw-Fulton Controls Company in 1961. The company is well known for its wind-up, animated and novelty clocks. Today, its desk clocks are worth about $50 to $100. Animated clocks usually have
Identify species of trees, ID a tree by its bark and understand which trees flower in summer.
Come join in the journey of the magic of trees, starting with how to identify them in the landscape and forest settings. Cost $90 members, $110 nonmembers; To register or for more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical. org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
higher values. The Evans Case Co. was in business from 1922 to 1960. They made lighters in a variety of styles and materials. Today, their lighters are worth about $40 to $75. They are worth more if they are made of valuable materials like precious metals and gemstones.
TIP: Go green. Refinish and restore old furniture. It saves up to 95% of the energy needed to make a new piece, and it is probably less expensive.
Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United
States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Furniture, easel, Anco, wood, artist’s, attached paint palette, 74 x 28 inches, $50.
Pottery, bowl, Santa Clara, blackware, carved, Avanyu, horizontal ridge, tapered base, signed, Celes Evelyn, 5 inches, $130.
Candlestick, opalescent glass, Foval style, blue top and base to column, blue spiral thread, flared cup, round foot, hand blown, 10 1/2 inches, pair, $160. Toy, scooter, Teeter Liner, red frame, three spoke wheels, grip handles, bell, embossed footboard, Skudder Ball Bearing Car, 37 x 33 inches, $315.
Poster, exhibition, The Essential Cubism, Braque, Picasso & Their Friends, multicolor Cubist still life, Tate Gallery, frame, 1983, 30 x 20 inches, $510.
Tole, tray, stylized landscape, White House, Potomac River, grazing cattle, parcel gilt, black rim, octagonal, mid-1800s, 20 x 28 inches, $530.
Trunk, Louis Vuitton, travel bag, Keepall 50, brown monogram canvas, vachetta leather, gold tone brass hardware, canvas lining, 1983, 15 x 23 x 9 inches, $640. Toy, truck, delivery, Motor Express, green, red cab, white lettering, white tires, Hubley, 9 inches, $1,080.
Kitchen, butcher’s table, mesquite, H-stretcher base, Mexico, 20th century, 35 x 60 x 33 inches, $1,180.
Advertising, cabinet, Meyer Bros. Coffee & Spice Co., Pure Ground Spices, stenciled lettering, three narrow drawers over large drawer, porcelain pulls, stenciled flowers, 15 1/2 x 21 inches, $1,765.
An ornamental vegetable garden at the Berkshire Botanical Garden on Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge.
Live Onsite &Webcast PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
CLASSIFIEDS ANTIQUE AUCTION
Ludlow, 28 Nash Hill Road, Sat. 6/22, 9-3 & Sun. 6/23, 10-2pm. Furn., crafts, hshld. Contents of house. Rain or shine. West Springfield 810 Bernie Avenue Sat. 6/22, 9-5 Sun. 6/23, 9-5 Still some great condition furniture left in main home & guest house. Bedrm, livrm & dinrm items, hand tools, yard tools, 2
Bengal Kittens for sale, 1m&f,10weeksold,1st shots&dewormed,$800 each,Call802-323-2538 for details
SweetOrangeLonghair Kitten,$200,Call413-2447901
EnglishSpringerSpaniels, AKCregisteredpuppies, b&w,1stshot,vetchecked,8wksold, $1200-1500, 413-596-8190 Husky Puppies, 10 weeks old, black/gray & white, 2 females, 1 male, $450/ each. Please call or text 413-658-5862
