Home and Garden, and Real Estate- March 12, 2023

The case for a (somewhat) messy spring garden

By Monica C ardoza The Washington Post

WITH TEMPERAtures reaching the 60s in some places in February, landscaping crews already returning to properties and spring cleaning on the horizon, it’s tempting to tidy up the garden alongside the house. Proceed with caution here, though.

Any leaves or spent perennials left from the fall served an important role over the winter, providing shelter and food for insects. And resisting the urge to wipe the garden clean can continue to foster a wildlife habitat for those beneficial creatures.

“We create nectar gardens to attract butterflies, then rake the garden and literally throw them all away,” says Randi Eckel, an entomologist and owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm, a mail-order native plant nursery in Frenchtown, New Jersey. “We need to think about all the life stages of these insects instead of focusing only on the beautiful adults. We also have to feed their children.”

Now, young stages of butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects are nestled in last year’s leaves, some of them munching on decomposing duff — leaves, twigs, bark and other plant litter. By waiting to clean up your garden until daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees for at least seven consecutive days, and approaching the chore with a light touch, you can keep giving those youngsters a head start on life.

That’s not to say, though, that you can’t start yard and gardening work. Here are suggestions for how to approach spring cleaning in the garden, without going overboard.

• Match insects to their host plants

Many people know the common names of the native plants in their gardens. Fewer can match each plant to the insect that relies on it for its dietary and reproductive needs. For example, Baltimore checkerspots overwinter as caterpillars

at the base of white turtlehead (Chelone glabra), and swallowtail butterflies attach their chrysalises to Hubricht’s bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii). Knowing which plants support which insects, and how, will make you less likely to want to disturb your garden too early.

• Remove leaves from hard surfaces and pathways

Neaten the yard while also preventing slips and falls by clearing paths, patios, decks and driveways of leaves. While you’re at it, thin out thick, moist piles of leaves in the yard, which can attract ticks. If possible, relocate the leaves on the property — perhaps to woods, if you have them. Or spread them around the base

of trees to create garden beds. When fall arrives, these areas will serve as what Eckel calls “soft landings:” places where butterflies and moths that have been feeding on your trees can drop into a garden to overwinter instead of onto a lawn. But, she says, “do not pile the leaves up like a volcano. No tree likes anything volcanoed up around the bark.”

If you have room in your yard, consider mixing the

leaves with fallen twigs to create a brush pile. Adult mourning cloak, question mark and comma butterflies may overwinter next year in these piles. They are “some of the first butterflies we see in spring,” says Eckel, who is also president of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey.

Jennifer Brunelle, owner of Greenleaf Designer Gardens in Littleton, discourages her clients in the Boston suburbs from having brush piles, because her area is overrun with rabbits, which tend to nest in them. But Eckel is a fan. “A brush pile is so much simpler than a compost pile. It’s where you stack sticks and excess leaves. Over time, it settles and breaks down some, and you put more things on top of it.”

• Edge the beds

Few things neaten a naturalistic garden like fresh edging around beds. Use a spade with a straight edge or a half-moon edger with a semicircular blade to cut into the ground along the existing edge. “Edging gives a nice, sharp look that makes these gardens look very classy,” Eckel says. If plants are hanging over into the lawn, create an edge farther out and enlarge the size of the bed at the same time.

• Address storm damage

Perennials that have bent or broken because of wind or snowstorms can be left alone. But if you want order, cut the

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly in the pollinator garden of Janet Burdewik at her Forest Park home. (DON TREEGER / THE

Taking some steps early in the season will amount to a beautiful garden in the warmer months. (MONICA BROWNING PHOTOGRAPHY)

SEE GARDEN, PAGE F9

Hydroponic houseplant how-to part 2

LAST WEEK I DEscribed how to grow houseplants hydroponically, with plant roots either in aerated, nutrient-enriched water, or in some inert solid medium, such as gravel or vermiculite, which is periodically flushed with nutrient solution. Once a hydroponicum is operating, you can watch plants respond as you make adjustments in the nutrient solution. (I love that word “hydroponicum,” which I am borrowing from a text written by an Englishman promoting hydroponics in India in a book from about 50 years ago). Try a bit more nitrogen in the nutrient solution to “green up” the leaves, or a bit less to make growth less succulent. Yellow patches on young leaves? Add more iron. Watching a plant respond to your care is one of the joys of gardening.

But why would the farmer who grew the hydroponic tomatoes I examined in the grocery store last week want to grow plants hydroponically? What could be the attraction, given that real soil is a renewable, natural resource that has done a good job of supporting plant life for eons?

One reason for commercial hydroponics is to avoid pests, which are a threat especially to greenhouse growers. Theoretically, if a greenhouse grower started with “clean” plants growing in an inert, sterile medium like gravel, then fed the plants an inert, sterile nutrient solution, there would be no pests to plague plants.

Problems arise when a disease spore happens to waft into a hydroponic greenhouse. The nutrient solution sloshing from one plant to the next is very effective at spreading pests once one plant is infected. And in the absence of beneficial insects or microorganisms, which

are present under natural conditions, any pest that gains a foothold can multiply unchecked.

The claim is made that hydroponic plants yield more than plants growing in real soil. Present claims are nowhere near as extravagent as when hydroponics was first developed. That was in 1929, and the “inventor” was professor W.F. Gericke of the University of California. Newspapers hailed hydroponics as the greatest invention of the century, and predicted were that farmland soon would become a relic of the past.

Now such claims are tempered. But still, that displaced Englishman, the hydroponicist mentioned earlier, presents a table in his book showing that hydroponically grown tomatoes, beets, corn, even rice and wheat, have the potential to outyield their conventionally-grown counterparts by more than ten-fold. I contend that if the same care was lavished on conventional plants as on

hydroponic plants, discrepancies would vanish. Also, yield is not the only consideration in growing plants. Nutritional quality and plant health also are important, and not always directly related to yield.

Hydroponics does make it feasible to grow plants where there is no soil. During World

ganisms, as mentioned previously, gobble up plant pests. Others chew up dead leaves, stems and roots of plants, and dead animals, in so doing recycling nutrients for use by living plants. Still others use their long, thin, thread-like bodies to gather nutrients for plants from the far-reaches of the soil. And some actually gather elements from the air, and turn them into fertilizer for plants. All these organisms also produce hormones, antibiotics, and chelators, which are not nutrients, but do affect plant growth and health.

Nothing like this goes on beneath a hydroponically grown plant. Hydroponic plants get only the thirteen nutrients deemed essential for their growth, and all nutrition comes from chemicals dissolved in water. The hydroponic farmer has to go out and buy these chemicals, along with pumps and tanks and timers, and electricity to run the pumps and timers. Consequently, hydroponics can be very costly to install and to run.

War II, fresh vegetables for American GIs were raised in this manner on nonarable islands in the Pacific.

But real soil, wherever it exists, can nourish plants naturally. Every teaspoon of soil contains billions of microorganisms that contribute to the well-being of plants. Some microor-

Hydroponics does have the advantage — or is it a disadvantage? — of being amenable to automation. Once a grower has a system perfected for a particular crop, all that is needed is someone to stare at some dials to make sure everything keeps operating smoothly. But that can present a problem. A greenhouse trade journal once reported that staring at dials becomes too boring for employees — not nearly as satisfying as mixing up a batch of potting soil or probing the soil with your finger to see if a pot needs water.

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.

Lee Reich | In the Garden

Lettuce being grown in a hydroponics greenhouse. (FILE PHOTO)

Hydroponic vegetables growing in a greenhouse. (FILE PHOTO)

Don and Dave Runyan | Project of the Week

A place to get your hands dirty

STOCKBRIDGE Botanical garden programs

Berkshire Botanical Garden presents:

• Tuesdays, March 14 to April 18, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. “Landscape Design I.” This course, presented by Tyler Horsley, will introduce students to the systematic

way designers approach a site and client. The course will include a series of simple projects that will end with a garden designed by the students. Learn design principles such as form, balance, repetition, line, texture, color, and spatial relationships. Additionally, students will be introduced to landscape history and how it helps the designer resolve and inspire garden design. Cost is $250 members, $275 nonmem-

bers.;

• Wednesdays, March 15 to 29, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. “Container Garden Design.” Acquire knowledge of the skills required for beautiful and successful container gardens with Jenna O’Brien, owner of Viridissima Horticulture and Design. Get to know the plants that thrive in containers and how to care for them. This class will cover practical aspects of gardening

JUST LIKE WOODworking and cooking, gardening requires a well-organized, dedicated workspace. The same way a great meal starts with a clean, well-appointed kitchen, or a piece of fine furniture depends on a quality workbench, a successful garden requires a place where you can get your hands dirty. That’s where this do-it-yourself potting bench project comes in.

The project features a big worktop with a hutch above for tools, seeds and small pots. Underneath, shelves and a large compartment hold bulkier items like bags of potting soil, fertilizer or even a covered compost container. Made from redwood (as pictured), cedar or pine, the bench can be built in just a couple of weekends.

Simple enough for most do-it-yourselfers — even if you’re more gardener than woodworker—the project

features all straight cuts and full-size patterns for the joinery. Construction is simple. Just cut the pieces to length, sand and assemble using glue, nails and screws. Apply finish of choice and head for the nursery.

The potting bench measures about 51 inches long by 24 inches deep by 65 inches tall.

The Potting Bench plan, No. 910, is $9.95 and includes step-by-step directions with photos, full-size traceable patterns and a shopping list and cutting schedule. Please include $3.95 for postage and handling and allow about two weeks for delivery.

To order by mail, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o The Republican, 741B Olive Ave., Vista CA 92083.

To order by credit card, visit U-Bild on the web at u-bild. com.

Potting bench Project of the Week. (U-BILD)

TERRY AND KIM KOVEL | ANTIQUES & COLLECTING

A popular pastime display

BICYCLE PLAYING

Cards may be the most recognizable brand by the United States Playing Card Co. The brand has been around since 1885. One look at this store counter display advertising Bicycle Playing Cards will tell you that it’s not from the late 1800s.

The large center scene shows a lively, colorful scene with two men and two women in formal dress around a card table. Changes in men’s formal wear since the 19th century are much less dramatic than changes in women’s clothes. The women in this picture have short hairstyles and low-neck sleeveless dresses that weren’t seen until the 20th century.

Short hair for women came into fashion in the 1920s, but the women in the advertisement don’t look like they are wearing 1920s flapper dresses.

If we could see their full bodies, dating their clothes would be easier; 1920s evening dresses were famously short! But from what we can see, the dresses appear to match the low-necked, close-fitting evening styles of the 1930s. This display sold for $1,375 at a Potter & Potter auction, and its description dated it to “circa 1930.”

A deck of cards is inexpensive and can be used for a wide variety of games that can accommodate many players. Card games were a popular pastime in the Great Depression.

Q. Were any pieces of Moderntone transparent pink depression glass made other than tumblers?

A. Moderntone is a pattern made by Hazel Atlas Glass Company from 1934 to 1942

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.

Bucket, candy, Sovereign, King of All Toffees, lid, beach scenes, red, yellow and blue, bail handle, metal, early 1900s, 8 x 7 inches, $83.

Doll, walking, pushing red pram with baby, blond hair, blue checked dress, repaired, Goodwin, 13 inches, $250.

Vase, smoke glass, closed handles, cup shape, incised signature, Timo Sarpaneva, midcentury, 3 1/2 x 3 inches, $330.

Toy, zeppelin, EPL-1, yellow, two gondolas, tin lithograph, box, Lehmanns, 7 1/2 inches, $380.

Jewelry, pin, clover, four leaves, on narrow bar, old cut diamond center, oval stone on each leaf, sapphire, ruby, emerald, diamond, art nouveau, 2 1/4 inches, $470.

Sampler, alphabet, bird, flower basket, deer, panels of stitch patterns, frame, Gisey Burns, 1832, 14 x 14 inches, $595.

Silver flatware spoon, Queen Anne style, dome end, finial, marked, Royal Irish Silver, Dublin, 16 x 3 inches, $820.

Furniture, table, work, yew, mahogany, fruitwood, hinged top, inlaid image of St. Mary’s Cathedral, flowers, vines, shamrocks, fitted interior, round platform base, three paw feet, Ireland, mid19th century, 27 1/2 x 22 1/2 x 16 1/2 inches, $940.

Poster, travel, Pennsylvania Railroad, “Plan Your Vacation

Trip By Train,” man and woman carrying suitcases, W. Walter Calvert, c. 1953, 40 x 26 1/4 inches, $1,190.

Scent bottle, stopper, gold iridescent, green hearts and vines, marked, LCT Tiffany Favrile, c. 1900, 4 x 2 inches, $1,750.

and again in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Pieces were made in amethyst, cobalt blue, pink and Platonite. Some pieces were made in clear glass. Cobalt blue is the most popular color. Tumblers were not part of the Moderntone pattern but were sold with it. Two different tumblers were advertised and collectors today consider them part of Moderntone.

Q. I have a doll I think is a Sweet Sue doll. She has rooted brown hair, open-close eyes and an open mouth with teeth showing. What can you tell me about her?

A. Sweet Sue dolls were made by the American Character Doll Co., a company in business in New York from 1919 to 1968. Sweet Sue is a hard plastic “pre-teen” doll made

from 1951 to 1961. The doll was made in several sizes ranging from 14 inches to 31 inches tall. Some had bendable elbows, knees and ankles.

Some were walking dolls. The Sweet Sue Sophisticate doll, a fashion doll that wore high heels, was made in two sizes in 1957. Some Sweet Sue dolls are marked, but many are not. Without a mark, it’s hard to tell if your doll is Sweet Sue or just a lookalike. Most dolls listed as Sweet Sue have closed mouths. Your doll has an open mouth with teeth showing, so it could be a lookalike doll. Value depends partly on size. A 14inch Sweet Sue doll in original clothes and wearing roller skates sold for $67 recently.

Q. In 1967, as a 14-yearold, I lived in Sebastopol, California, with Charles Schulz as a neighbor. I was friends with his sons.

When advertisements include pictures of people, their clothing and hairstyles can help date the item. This store display for Bicycle Playing Cards is from about 1930. (COWLES SYNDICATE INC.)

One day, as I was visiting his place, I got several discarded sketches on 4by 6-inch notepad paper. When Mr. Schulz was formulating ideas for his strip, he would sketch out his ideas on notepads before he finalized them in his strip. Then he would crumple them up and toss them away. Many years ago, I framed them with copies of the actual comic strips that they inspired, which were published a month or so later. One example is Snoopy pretending he’s a fierce mountain lion. Another is Snoopy’s dilemma when he realizes he has been fed cat food. I have always wondered what value these sketches could have.

A. Charles Schulz created the comic strip “Peanuts” in 1950. It originally ran from 1950 to 2000 and has been in reruns since then. Original art for popular comic strips sells for high prices.

The record price for original art for “Peanuts” was $192,000 for a four-panel, black-and-white daily strip from 1950. It sold at Heritage Auctions in 2020. Individual sketches have sold for a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars. Subject, size and condition help determine

the value.

The artists’ signature also adds value. Your small, unsigned sketches will be of interest to collectors if they are in good condition. Contact an auction house that sells comic art to find out the value of the sketches.

TIP: Keep old, worn vintage doll accessories. Even if you substitute new accessories, save the old ones. They add value.

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, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.

Average US mortgage up for fifth straight week to 6.73%

By M ATT O TT Associated Press

THE AVERAGE

long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose for the fifth straight week to its highest level since breaching 7% in November, just as the spring buying season gets ready to kick off.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30year rate climbed to 6.73% from 6.65% last week. The average rate a year ago was 3.85%.

The average long-term rate hit 7.08% in the fall — a two-decade high — as the Federal Reserve continued to raise its key lending rate in a bid to cool the economy and quash persistent, four-decade high inflation.

At its first meeting of 2023 in February, the Fed raised its benchmark lending rate by another 25 basis points, its eighth increase in less than a year. That pushed the central bank’s key rate to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in 15 years. Many economists expect at least three more increases before the end of the year.

In remarks to a Senate committee earlier this week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell appeared to imply that the Fed would return to larger rates hikes at its next meeting March 21-22. That sent markets tumbling on Tuesday, but Powell seemed to soften his stance on Wednesday during his appearance before the House, saying that Fed policymakers have yet to decide how large an interest rate hike to impose at its meeting in two weeks as it tries to corral high inflation.

While the Fed’s rate hikes do impact borrowing rates across the board for businesses and families, rates on 30-year mortgages usually track the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a

Deeds

AGAWAM

Andrey Kaletin and Svetlana Kaletina to Ryan Hayward and Wendy Hayward, 33 Perry Lane, $535,000.

Christopher Nascembeni to Michelle Marie Macklin, 19 Meadowbrook Road, $530,000.

guide to pricing loans. Investors’ expectations for future inflation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates can also influence the cost of borrowing for a home.

Before falling back under 5% Thursday, the 10-year yield jumped to 5.07% earlier this week, its highest level since 2007.

The big rise in mortgage rates during the past year has hit the housing market hardest, with sales of existing homes falling for 12 straight months to the slowest pace in more than a dozen years. January’s sales cratered by nearly 37% from a year earlier, the National Association of Realtors reported last month.

For all of 2022, NAR reported last month that existing U.S. home sales fell 17.8% from 2021, the weakest year for home sales since 2014 and the biggest annual decline since the housing crisis began in 2008.

Higher rates can add hundreds of a dollars a month in costs for homebuyers, on top of already high home prices.

The rate for a 15-year mortgage, popular with those refinancing their homes, rose this week to to 5.95% from 5.89% last week. It was 3.09% one year ago.

Debra A. Ceccarini to Melissa Surprise, 47 Howard St., $227,500.

Joseph F. Dempsey and Susan M. Dempsey to 62 Ramah Circle LLC, 62 Ramah Circle North, $650,000.

Joseph S. Schlaffer and Katherine M. Schlaffer to Asila LLC, 192 Shoemaker Lane, $460,000.

Meghan K. Colantonio, representative, Nancy Comery Kelly,estate, and Nancy C. Kelly, estate, to Kelly S. Nouwen, 42 South Brooke Lane, $405,000.

AMHERST

Cynthia A. Peters, personal representative, Walter Joseph Wolnik, estate, and Walter J. Wolnik, estate, to Justin C. Ching, 8 Hillcrest Place, $475,000.

BELCHERTOWN

MaryEllen O’Reilly-Bracey and Orin L. Bracey Jr., to Troy M. McLaughlin and Kelly A. McLaughlin, Munsell Street, $10,000.

Carol A. Griffeth to Garrett Richard Demers and Josefina Hardman, 212 Rockrimmon St., $339,000.

Mary Rachel Kosiorek, Mary Rachel Kosiorek, trustee, and Mary Rachel Kosiorek Trust to David Edward Kosiorek, Kenneth Joseph Kosiorek, Edward Joseph Kosiorek, Linda Marie Stopa, Gail Ann

Kosiorek, Diane Lynn Woods, Richard Joseph Kosiorek, Mark Anthony Kosiorek and Carole Ann Kosiorek, 131 Metacomet St., $100.

Robert B. Hutchinson to Laliberte Home Builders Inc., Sabin Street, $65,000.

Dana M. Spice and Leny Jo Captein to Leny Jo Captein, trustee, Dana M. Spice, trustee, Leny Jo Captein Trust and Dana M. Spice Trust, 14 Rimrock Drive, $100.

CHESTERFIELD

Charlotte Summers to Matthew C. Pittenger and Julia R. Krasney, 1 River Road, $429,000.

CHICOPEE

Carolyn Swenson, representative, Lauria A. Gouin, estate, Gerald Gouin and Darlene J. Proulx to Richard Dunn and Judith Dunn, 78 Skeele St., $400,000.

Congamond Management LLC, to Jesus Floran Trinidad, 61 Van Horn St., $375,000.

Edward A. Leblanc, Louise M. Flynn, Louise M. Foerschner, Thomas P. Leblanc, Stephen R. Leblanc, Joyce Leblanc, Joyce Wildman and Jeffrey A. Leblanc to Shannon Marie O’Connell, 144 Ashgrove St., $270,000.

Frances M. Butler, Michele L. Boucher and Michelle Boucher to Central New York Associates LLC, 111 Horseshoe Drive, Unit 6128A, $209,900.

Gallagher Capital Group LLC, and KMak LLC to Janet L. Stadnicki, 28 Glendale St., $265,000.

Gary P. Biela and Patricia L. Biela to Cheyenne Rose and Joanna L. Bradway, 33 Guyotte Ave., $131,000.

KSM Holdings LLC, to Norman Hugo Storer Jr., 18 Gerard Lane,

Unit 18, $275,000.

Lisa B. Marques to Hassan Saleh and Rula Abdul Baki, 65 Bonneville Ave., $340,000.

LP Properties LLC, to Graciano Ortiz, 27-29 Charbonneau Terrace, $369,000.

Paul W. Gajda and Donna M. Hamel to Christopher Nascembeni, 56 Mt. Vernon Road, $225,000.

Valerie Ann Miller to Wolfpack Realty Corp., 114 Anderson Road, $141,000.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Douglas Dichard to Jaime L. Hernandez, 153 Chestnut St., $260,000.

Louis A. Calabrese and Alice E. Calabrese to John J. Ryan, 198 Maple St., $575,000.

EASTHAMPTON

Gerard McCook, Teryn Lynn McCook and Teryn Lynne McCook to Yesenia L. Hostetter and Jacob P. Hostetter, 6 Doody Ave., $299,900.

GRANBY

Ervin Glen Meimerstorf, Irving Glen Meimerstorf, Darlene Meimerstorf, Darlene Sergneri, Jonathan Lee Meimerstorf and Jeffrey Daniel Meimerstorf to Bridger R. Neveu, 14 Sherwood Drive, $254,750.

Ievgenii Gusiev to Walter Frederics, 213 Amherst St., $125,525.

Marc Albert Cormier to David Scott and Jo Ann M. Scott, 3 Sherwood Drive, $230,000.

HAMPDEN

Chapdelaine Realty Inc., to David Chapdelaine and Lisa Chapdelaine, 37 Allen St., $238,000.

SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8

Jumbo loans are based on loan amounts of $548.250. Points quoted include discount and/or origination. Lock Days: 30-60. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The APR on your specific loan may differ from the sample used. Fees reflect charges relative to the APR. If your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s value, you will be subject to private mortgage insurance, or PMI. FHA mortgages include both UFMIP and MIP fees based on loan amount of $165,000 with

Deeds

CONTINUED FROM PAGE F7

Jennifer Catherine Baribeau, trustee, and Gary A. Baribeau Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Guy Libiszewski, 83 Allen St., $170,000.

Pamela B. Courtney and Gary W. Courtney to Gerald J. Tessier and Shelby-Lynn Klekotka, 33 North Monson Road, $425,000.

HOLLAND

Daniel Burns to James Votzakis and Kirsten Votzakis, 5 Inlet Drive, $340,000.

HOLYOKE

Amelia Serrano to Victoria Delia and Nicole Harper, 323 Elm St., $280,000.

Daniel P. McCavick to Leslie DeCristofaro, 20 Highland Ave., $235,000.

Edward J. Moore IV, representative, Sarah Mary Moore, estate, and Sarah M. Moore, estate, to Michael Dion and Megan Dion, 24-26 Sydney Ave., $210,000.

John J. Ferriter, representative, and Richard Cournoyer, estate, to Luis D. Rodriguez, 283 Walnut St., $60,000.

Varakas Realty Trust, trustee of, and Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, to Francis Yarra and Christopher Capen, 54 Gates St., $189,987.

Vikram Budhraja to Amy Labrake, 440 Northampton St., $60,000.

HUNTINGTON

Noel W. Kenney and Noel Kenney to Sharon French and Perry French, 210 Worthington Road, $374,125.

LONGMEADOW

John M. Kirkpatrick and Jane E. Garcia to Daniel James Avissato and Amy Louise Avissato, 29 Crescent Road, $357,000.

Robin B. Rowe and Donald G. Rowe to Robert C. Abel and Daniel P. Sheehy, 165 Converse St., Unit 9, $510,000.

NORTHAMPTON

Amanda B. Ashton to Heather Michelle Goodenough, 12 Drewsen Drive, $323,500.

Jeffrey R. Vanasse and Renee

M. Grise to Patricia L. Sipe, 30 Powell St., $341,500.

Timothy J. O’Brien and Maureen

A. O’Brien to Timothy J. O’Brien, trustee, Maureen A. O’Brien,

trustee, Timothy J. O’Brien Living Trust and Maureen A. O’Brien Living Trust, 688 Park Hill Road, $100.

PALMER

Edward R. Greenbaum to Ham IV Realty LLC, 21 Wilbraham St., $320,000.

Joshua R. Benoit to Justin T. Benoit, 364-368 Boston Road, $170,000.

Kenneth P. Watts to Leopold Heaven, 45 Meadowbrook Lane, Unit 45, $262,000.

Marilyn F. Martel to Lisa Bordenuk, 19 Michael Drive, Unit 19, $100.

MTGT Realty LLP, Marc P. Graveline and Marc Phillip Graveline to Demon Deacon Realty LLC, Bridge Street, $425,000.

PLAINFIELD

Michael Crane to Daniel Comeau and Theresa Comeau, Campbell Road, $40,000.

SOUTH HADLEY

Ann M. Desorcy and Peter D. Desorcy to Susan M. Gustafson, 41 West Summit St., $175,000.

Lowell W. Gudmundson and Cecilia Gudmundson to Steven Segore, 15 Chileab Road, $420,000.

Robert J. Schroeter to Michael Cowan and Edith Skelly-Cowan, 1 Lesperance Court, $160,000.

SOUTHAMPTON

Scott C. Bishop to Julia Marciano and Anthony Marciano, 146 College Highway, $165,000.

Kenneth J. Malo, trustee, Jill M. Malo, trustee, and Kenneth J. Malo & Jill M. Malo Declaration of Trust to Daniel Phillips and Kelly Puza, 10 Susan Drive, $475,000.

SPRINGFIELD

Abdalrahman Mohammed Alhazmy and Abdalrahman M. Alhazmy to OPM Investments LLC, 1342 Worcester St., $80,000.

Adam M. Provost and Kathaleen Provost to William A. MacKinnon, William MacKinnon, Emma D. Gaudreau and Emma Gaudreau, 141 Birchland Ave., $284,000.

Alexander Lopez Freire and Maria Conde Rosado to Wilfredo Gonzalez, 23-25 Edgewood St., $306,000.

Alexis Warner Bradley and Nico Jovan Garcia to Alexandra Hamilton, 35 Helberg Road,

$295,000.

Ana Andino to Sheyla Acosta-Rosario and Jose A. Munoz-Acosta, 145 Chapin Terrace, $290,000.

Carmen Pabon to Martha Victorio, 30 Norman St., $145,000.

Cindy Guzman to Jason Stallone, 48 Wilmont St., $279,900.

Dolines Morales to Eddy Martinez, 167 Lamont St., $10,000.

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Waiwai Realty Trust, trustee of, to Chris D. Feliz and Yesmely Rodriguez, 16 Carlisle St., $212,900.

Gail F. McGrath to Antonina M. Valentino, 26 Nassau Drive, $180,000.

Heather M. Leone to Dustin Marchinkoski and Kelsey Strom, 160 Shady Brook Lane, $269,000.

Janet Davidson to Luis Javier Cabreja Hidalgo, 211 Wilbraham Road, $215,000.

Jennifer D. Walther to Natanael Crespo, 140 Chestnut St., Unit 706, $94,900.

Joseph M. Santaniello and Michael A. Santaniello to Rehab Home Buyers LLC, 37 Forest St., $170,000.

Julian Navarro and Luz M. Navarro to Jennifer Marie Reyes, 75 Rowland St., $230,000.

Keith O. Davies and Jenny M. Davies to Justin Lane Deconti, 181 Newton Road, $305,000.

Kenneth Rogers to Daniel Bartlett, 140 Chestnut St., Unit 602, $85,000.

Lil A’s Property Management LLC, to Abdi Adan, Fatuma Abdi and Shukri Adan, 1017-1019 Sumner Ave., $336,000. London Realty, London Realty LLC, and London Realty LLC, to Ileana Colon Rodriguez, 296 Quincy St., $190,000.

Mirjam Lamoureux, estate, and Angela M. Penndorf, representative, to Meghan L. Tolley, 256 Draper St., $205,000.

Natalie A. Jurgen, trustee, Karl J. Jurgen, trustee, Natalie A. Jurgen Trust, trustee of, Mary A. Vogliazzo and Natalie A. Jurgen Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Keith O. Davies and Jenny M. Davies, 200 Newton Road, $300,000.

Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., trustee, and Natixis Real Estate Capital Trust 2007-HE2, trustee of, to Ali Hamid Abdraba, 36 Orleans St., $130,000.

Pah Properties LLC, to Isidoro R. Sanchez and Francisca A. Sanchez, 173-175 Pendleton Ave., $143,000.

Patrick R. Meade and Bonnie L. Meade to Dnepro Properties

LLC, 20 Drexel St., $191,500.

Platinum Homes LLC, to Narya N. Waring and Gabriel B. Ross, 35 Eton St., $305,000. Round Two LLC, to Michael A. Raiford, 77 Johnson St., $335,000.

Samantha E. Hahn Clark and Candice Hahn Clark to Jesse D. Freeman and Rambo Ngo, 49 Ambrose St., $238,000.

Sean M. Geaghan to Jesus Vazquez, 28 Birch Glen Drive, $230,000.

Terrence M. Allen to Terrence M. Allen and Daniel J. Gelinas, 55 Birchland Ave., $100.

Thomas J. Garvey and Carla Hoffman to Marcus A. Starks Jr., 80 Carnavon Circle, $215,000. Wamhkm LLC, to Elona Capital LLC, 282-286 Main St., $300,000.

Zachary D. Vollinger and Lindsay F. Vollinger to Belinda Lynette Wilson and Kalum Eaddy, 135 Tavistock St., $169,900.

Zaida I. Sanabria-Rodriguez to Amelia Serrano, 188 Wachusett St., $225,000.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Campagnari Construction LLC, receiver, West Springfield Town and David Hood to Campagnari Construction LLC, 279 Morton St., $70,000.

WESTFIELD

Hing-lun Chong to Meyer Attias, 17-17 1/2 Lincoln St., $240,000.

Jaret E. Bednaz and Lynette J. Bednaz to Damien Roberts, 155 Yeoman Ave., $185,000.

Mary-Louise Dazelle and Robert P. Dazelle to Keith M. Evans, 46 Grandview Drive, $325,000.

Matthew Pittenger to Janelle Aieta, 1214 East Mountain Road, $310,000.

Patricia Mahoney, Sheila Tracy, Bruce Mahoney, Teresa Mahoney Mullen, Sean Mahoney, Brishen J. Mahoney and Trevor B. Mahoney to Tatyana Mokan and Ivan Mokan, 32 Montgomery St., $235,000.

R. Gene Duda to Antonio Rodriguez Figueroa and Elizabeth Rivera, 139 Union St., Unit 23, $225,000.

WILBRAHAM

2301 Boston Road LLC, to Paul E. Dernavich and Virginia M. Dernavich, 31 Lodge Lane, $517,840.

Deborah A. Lewandowski to Gail F. McGrath, 2205 Boston Road, Unit G-64, $225,000.

Jennifer Lyn Gay, Jennifer Gardner and Matthew Gardner to Frank Kulig, 22 Brainard Road, $313,000.

Michael Pope and Andre King to Peter Wayne Chiumiento and Heather Marie Greene, 945 Tinkham Road, $338,000.

Thomas S. Manzi and Janet M. Manzi to Kathaleen Provost and Adam Provost, 1 Lee Lane, $399,000.

Timothy H. Gleason, trustee, and Gleason Realty Co. Under Indenture of Trust, trustee of, to CRK Estates LLC, 9V Red Bridge Road, $200,000.

WILLIAMSBURG

L. Alton Wasson and Rosalyn Driscoll to Rosalyn Driscoll, trustee, and L. Alton Wasson 2023 Trust, 24 O’Neil Road, $100.

WORTHINGTON

Albert G. Nugent Jr., Patricia R. Nugent and Patricia R. Nugent, attorney-in-fact, to Albert G. Nugent III, and Rebecca J. Nugent, 567 Huntington Road, $137,000.

Garden

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2

stems where they snapped, leaving about 18 inches of intact stem if possible. Lay the cut pieces near the plant, where they can decompose and the insects inside can eventually leave. Another option is to bind multiple cut stems with twine into bundles and lean them against a tree or place them in the back of the garden.

• Install a wildlife habitat

Notes

with style in containers throughout the New England garden season. Cost $165 members, $175 nonmembers.;

• Wednesday, March 15, 5:30 to 7 p.m. online. “Native Groundcovers: Living Mulch.”

Discover a selection of tough, versatile plants to use as groundcovers in a variety of growing conditions. Presented by Duncan Himmelman.

Cost is $12 members, $15 nonmembers.;

• Saturday, March 18, “Bark and Bud Tree ID,” 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Discover the many plants that lend bark, buds, fruit and structural interest to the garden in fall and winter. Under the expert guidance of Tom Ingersol, students will develop the ability to identify winter trees by twig and bud anatomy, bark features and plant architecture, while practicing their skills with winter tree dichotomous keys. This program will be held primarily indoors, and students will work with collected specimens. Cost $25 members, $30 nonmembers.

For more information, or help with paying for some of the classes, or to register, visit www.berkshirebotanical. org; Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.

AGAWAM Garden Club meeting

The first meeting of the

sign

With more native plant gardens popping up in front yards, a wildlife habitat sign can mean the difference between sidelong glances and the faces of excited children and curious parents interested in installing such a garden themselves. “Passersby, relatives and neighbors will understand that this is an intentional choice and is being done to benefit wildlife,” Eckel says.

You’ve probably already seen such signs. They might announce Certified Wildlife

2023 year of the Agawam Garden Club will meet on Tuesday, March 14, 6:30 p.m. in the Judy Clini Conference Room at the Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St. Refreshments will be served. After a short business meeting, the speaker will be Bob Whitney, a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers, who will present a program on spring floral arranging. Bob has over 40 years in the floral industry, as designer, instructor and wholesale sales person. For many years he participated in the flower show at the Springfield Museum. Any floral arrangement made will be raffled off at the end of the program.

SPRINGFIELD Garden Club meeting

The Springfield Garden Club will host “Stunning Spring Perenials” presented by Joan Butler on Friday, March 17, at 11:30 a.m. The event will be in person at the Barney Carriage House at Forest Park, on Sumner Avenue. Expert plant collector and sought after flower show judge, Joan Butler, will share a colleciton of early spring garden choices to add colorful early spring flowers to shade or sunny gardens. Joan holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from UMass Amherst and a certificate in landscape management from UMass Extension Green School. She is a Master Gardener, has worked as a horticulturist at Weston Nurseries, and is a past chairman of the Massachusetts

Habitat, Plants for Birds or Certified Monarch Garden. But they all serve the same purpose of making known that there’s a method to the perceived madness. Some signs can be purchased, while others require certification through a conservation group such as the National Wildlife Federation (nwf.org), the North American Butterfly Association (nababutterfly.com) or National Audubon Society chapters (audubon.org).

• Plan to replace hardwood mulch with living

Landscape Design Council. The program will also be held on Zoom. Light luncheon, including gluten free options, sweets, coffee, and tea will be served. Directions to the Carriage House at barneycarriagehouse.com Raffle for members and guests. Guest fee is $5 and tickets are available at Eventbrite.com. For more information on this and other Springfield Garden Club events, visit springfieldgardenclubma.org or visit them on their Facebook page.

SPRINGFIELD Garden Club scholarship

The Springfield Garden Club is accepting applications for their annual $2,000 scholarship awarded to a graduating high school senior, undergraduate or graduate college student majoring in a full-time plant science or environmental studies program, such as horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, conservation, forestry, botany, agronomy, plant pathology, environmental control, land management or other allied fields. The candidate must be a resident of Hampden County, demonstrate financial need and have adequate academic standing. High school seniors, undergraduate and graduate college students are eligible for consideration. For additional information and to request a copy of the application contact Jane Glushik at SGCscholarship@gmail.com or Elizabeth Tongue at 413627-5503. Scholarship applications are to be completed and

mulch

Locate bare areas in beds and fill them with low-growing ground-cover perennials, known as living — or green — mulch. This can reduce or eliminate the need for hardwood mulch. The plants suppress weeds, prevent erosion and retain moisture like traditional mulch, and over time, certain varieties will spread. “There’s an initial investment for the plants upfront,” Brunelle says. “But if you’re paying for mulch and the labor to spread it, then over

meet the submission deadline of March 31 to be eligible for consideration.

AGAWAM Garden Club scholarship

The Agawam Garden Club is offering their annual scholarship to a graduating senior of Agawam High School or a college student who graduated from Agawam High School. One of the following majors qualify: botany, environmental engineering, environmental science, earth systems, forest management, natural resources, plant soil and insect science, sustainable agriculture, sustainable horticulture or food and farming, turf grass science and management, landscape design and management technology, clean energy, technology studies: wastewater, or other environmental studies not mentioned above. Interested applicants must submit the following required documents: a copy of high school transcript and a copy of college acceptance letter for high school seniors, copy of all college/university transcripts for a college student who graduated from Agawam High School, two references, and a completed scholarship application which includes a paragraph on who or what was most influential in your commitment to intended major, how this scholarship would impact your future goals, and post college graduation plans. Applications are available at the Agawam High School Guidance office or online at

time, it’s more cost effective to buy the plants.”

Brunelle recommends using low-growing mounds of prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), as well as blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium), which she describes as “a miniiris with cute blue flowers.”

• Keep your garden in perspective

“It’s not just the plants and flowers that make a garden exciting,” Eckel says. “It’s the butterflies, moths, bees, beetles and birds interacting with those plants and flowers.”

agawamgardenclub.com Documents should be mailed to Denise Carmody, Secretary, Agawam Garden Club, 40 Primrose Lane, Agawam, MA 01001 and must be received by April 1.

WEST SPRINGFIELD Garden Club scholarship

The West Springfield Garden Club has announced that two $1,000 scholarships are available to qualifying high school senior students during the spring of 2023. Applicants must be a resident of West Springfield and be a current student with a minimum “B” average or better in science related courses. They must submit a written 1-page document which demonstrates their plans for after high school graduation in any of the below-mentioned fields and how the grant will assist in their career choice. Scholarships are available for students with a focus of study in one or more of the following areas: horticulture, agriculture, ecology, botany, environmental studies, landscape design or forestry. Eligible candidates will submit their completed application and written entry to the WSHS Guidance Office no later than April 14. Please pick up instructions & application forms from the WSHS Guidance Department. The successful candidates will be notified via mail in mid-May.

Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.

Don’t do that. Four mistakes you’re making with home internet.

By Shira Ovide The Washington Post

IT’S MADDENING

when your internet service doesn’t work right. And it’s tricky to figure out what’s wrong.

It might be your internet company’s fault, a boo-boo with your home equipment or interference from your neighbor’s Call of Duty game night. And sometimes we’re our own worst enemy.

Try tackling these four mistakes that could be making your home internet worse:

• Don’t confuse the modem and the router

Confession: I made this mistake just this week.

The modem is the box that pulls the internet into your home. It’s typically connected to a cable jack in your wall.

The router connects to your modem with a cord and brings your devices online, typically over WiFi. (Some of you might have a combined router and modem.)

If you’re the type to geek out over your WiFi 6E mesh network, bless your heart. Normal humans just want our internet to work.

The distinction between modems and routers matters because of No. 2.

• Don’t hide your WiFi router

It’s fine to stick your modem under a stack of books. But your router needs to be treated like a Fabergé egg.

Your WiFi works best if your router is in the heart of your home — not shoved on a bookshelf, parked under a metal table or stuck behind your TV set or fish tank.

I get why people — and I am one of those people — hide these gizmos out of sight. Routers range in looks from “yuck” to “get that creepy UFO out of my house.” (A free business idea: adorable outfits to cover our ugly routers.)

And the farther away your devices are from the router, the harder it may be to get a solid connection.

Beware of interference from walls, metal, water and other obstacles that block the beautiful internet rainbows from reaching your bedroom TV.

Carl Leuschner, a senior vice president with the company behind Spectrum internet service, said customers often have hiccups with connected doorbells like those from Amazon’s Ring. Your home’s outside wall is in the way, and the doorbell is often far from your router.

If you have flaky WiFi, even a minor router relocation could make a big difference. Can you put your router on top of your TV stand instead of on a shelf or move it from your living room floor to the top of a cabinet?

For connected doorbell problems, Leuschner said Spectrum suggests that people move their routers closer to the door or buy a device that extends WiFi into tricky nooks.

Washington Post technology columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler wrote a guide to wireless fixes where he suggested mostly free solutions.

(One tip: Start by unplugging your modem, waiting 10 seconds and plugging it back in.)

• Don’t buy that super-fast internet Internet providers dazzle you with service plans promising BLAZING. FAST. SPEEDS. But in a 2019 Wall Street Journal project, researchers found that most people were using a fraction of the internet speeds they paid for.

Streaming video quality didn’t improve much for people who watched over zippier connections.

I’m not saying that you’ll be fine with 1990s dial-up internet. But most households will be good with a basic highspeed plan from an internet

provider offering download speeds of 50, 100, 200 or 300 megabits per second. (Lots of Americans can’t access speeds even that fast or afford service. Internet access is a huge problem.)

Download speeds measure the maximum rate of online data moving into your home. Will you actually get the 300 megabit speeds that you signed up for? Not necessarily.

Sascha Meinrath, a telecommunications professor at Penn State, said that providers’ download speeds are often adequate for most households but a bottleneck may be upload speeds — a measure of data moving from your devices back to the internet.

Skimpy upload speeds might be the problem if your Zoom call freezes while your teen is firing off her TikTok creations. But upload speeds are usually ignored in internet companies’ marketing pitches.

It’s worthwhile starting with the lowest-tier plan from your provider.

If your internet is molasses, then you might consider an upgrade.

But first try moving your router and other fix-it experiments from Geoff’s column.

• You don’t have to get your router from your internet company

Many internet providers will provide you (or make you pay for) a modem or router. You should consider buying them yourself, although I’m on the fence about buying versus renting from the internet company.

Some providers charge an extra $5 to $15 a month to use their router or modem. You’ll save money buying your own. Follow the installation instructions from your internet provider.

With your own gear, you replace your modem and router when you want and not when your internet provider chooses. If your router is more than two or three years old, it’s worth considering a new one. Modems are usually fine for longer.

But there are benefits to accepting your internet provider’s modem or router. The company should keep your software updated, make sure your equipment can handle the internet speeds you’re paying for and help you with problems.

I buy my own router and modem, but that’s not right for everyone.

Whether you pick to rent or buy your internet gear, make it a considered choice and not whatever the internet provider decides for you.

Left, a router and internet switch are displayed. (CHARLES KRUPA/ ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A person on a laptop. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

German Shepherd Pups, 6 males, 3 females, AKC paperwork, shots & wormed, written hip & health guar. Parents on premises. Raised in country setting. $1500/ea. Call 978-249-3724

Labradorpuppies,9wks old,blackandyellow available,vet-checked, 1stsetofshotsand wormed,parentsonsite, asking $900 413-813-1585

Teddy Bear Puppies, pure white or pure black $600/ ea. Just in time for Valentine’s Day. For info. text or call Lori 413-966-9152

TwofemaleHuskypups available,born11/12. $750,Vetchecked,1st shotanddewormed.Call /text802-624-1291between4P-7Pforfurther details

West Highland White Terrier, male, 9 weeks, Vet checked & current vaccinations. $1800. Call 413-596-8190

Yorkshire Terrier puppy, male, has most of his shots. Great little dog. Only $2000. (413) 549-5225

Aaron Posnik

(617) 964-1282 FOR A LIST OF THE CURRENT DAY’S AUCTIONS AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.commonwealth auction.com FOR CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED SCHEDULING INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL SCHEDULING INFORMATION COMMONWEALTH AUCTION ASSOCIATES, INC. (617) 964-0005 MA LIC 2235

old medium hair black cat, neutered, all shots, w/chip. $125.00. Call 413-292-3650

Two kittens, Maine Coon, Bengle mix, $50.00/each. Call 413-777-9659

7 Year old Golden Retriever male, available, friendly, great with kids. $50.00. Call or text 802-323-2538

BE MY PUPPY VALENTINE 8 weeks only, Boston Terrier AKC Puppies, 4 black & white females, 1 red & white male. Call for details. 413-252-1463

German Shepherd/Lab Mix puppies, 1st set of shots, dewormed. 2 females, 1 male $400/each. Call or text 802-323-2538.

THISISWHATAHEARTATTACKFEELSLIKETOAWOMAN.

(LIGHT-HEADEDNESSORSUDDENDIZZINESS)

OtherHeartAttackSymptomstoWatchOutFor:

Chestpain,discomfort,pressureorsqueezing,likethere’satonofweighton

you•Shortnessofbreath•Nausea•Unusualupperbodypain,ordiscomfort inoneorbotharms,back,shoulder,neck,jaworupperpartofthestomach

•Unusualfatigue•Breakingoutinacoldsweat

Ifyouexperienceanyoneofthesesymptoms,don’tmake excusesforthem.MaketheCall.Don’tMissaBeat.

Tolearnmore,visitWomensHealth.gov/HeartAttack