Home & Garden
ANTIQUES: Ironstone platter from England imitates Chinese porcelain, F6
IN THE GARDEN: Syrup season is here, F4
HOUSE CLEANING: The complete guide for using bleach, F10
How to hang anything on your wall
By T im H effernan
The New York Times
WHETHER YOU live in a house or an apartment, you probably have a list of small-scale home-improvement projects that you want to accomplish — someday. Maybe it’s a room that needs a paint job, or a leaky toilet you wish you didn’t have to call a plumber about.
You’ve come to the right place. In our new DIY series, we’ll be tackling some of these projects, from basic repairs to simple restorations, which you can do yourself in just a few hours. They’ll be realistic for renters and homeowners alike, and they won’t require expertise. Nor will they require a lot of tools, and the tools they do require will be general purpose — you’ll find them useful for all manner of jobs around your place.
Finally, even though each project will have a specific goal or solution, our real aim is to impart a set of general skills that you’ll be able to draw on again and again.
Take our first project as an example: We’ll be learning how to install a TV mount so you can hang that big flat-screen to watch any big sporting event. Of course, if you’re like me and you’d rather do anything other than watch most sports, you can spend the same amount of time putting up a heavy mirror, a big piece of framed art, or a floating shelf or cabinet.
Whatever it is you’re hanging, the crux of the job is finding the studs inside your walls, and that’s really what this project is about. If you’re unfamiliar with what’s hidden behind your paint or wallpaper, it can be scary to hang heavy or valuable things. But once you know how to find a stud, it’s no sweat. Studs are the internal framing that give a wall its strength. Because they can bear a lot of weight, studs are also used for hanging heavy objects. (For lightweight stuff like photos, posters and small paintings, you don’t even need the studs. It’s fine to hang them anywhere using small nails or removable adhesive strips.)
Who am I, you ask? I’ve been a writer at Wirecutter since 2015, and a do-it-yourselfer for most of my life. Since my wife and I bought a scruffy 1920 house last year, repairs and upgrades have become my second job.
OK, let’s mount that television. By the time we’re done, you’ll have the confidence to hang anything safely.
The tools
Leave the hammer in the closet. For this, you’ll need a drill, a drill bit in the appropriate size (the instructions with the TV mount will list it), a tape measure, a pencil, an adjustable wrench and a magnetic stud finder. I used an inexpensive stud finder that’s made by C.H. Hanson and recommended by Wirecutter. (I also installed Wirecutter’s top-rated TV mount, but the techniques here are common to all.)
A ratcheting wrench and socket set, rather than a standard wrench, will make screwing in the mounting bolts easier. And a ruler or other straightedge is handier than a tape measure for marking straight lines.
Step 1: Find the studs
It’ll help to have a mental picture of what we’re doing. Inside most house and apartment walls is a framework of studs. Usually made of wood, studs run vertically from the floor to the ceiling. The wall material itself is attached to the studs using screws or nails. And it’s those metal screws or nails that a stud finder finds. Like a string of icebergs, they indicate what lies beneath the surface. Slowly sweep the stud finder back and forth horizontally along the wall, keeping it flat against the surface. Go in roughly 2-foot arcs and move gradually up and down the wall until the stud finder shudders to a halt and sticks. Mark the location with a pencil. (Note: If the stud finder doesn’t seem to be finding anything, you may have plasterover-lath walls. And if the wall is solid concrete — common in basements — there won’t be any studs. Read on for more about
these variations.)
The C.H. Hanson stud finder makes it especially easy to mark the location of studs. Rotate it until the built-in spirit level — the bubble in the center — indicates that it’s perfectly vertical, then put a pencil mark at the center of each end of the level.
Finally, repeat this process, sweeping an area approximately 16 inches to the left or right of your first mark until you find the adjacent stud. (Most studs are installed “16 inches on center” — meaning their midpoints are 16 inches apart. Some TV mounts need only one stud; if yours is one of them, you can skip this step.)
Step 2: Mark your first drill holes
Using a straightedge, draw a line vertically through each pair of pencil marks. Then measure the distance from the floor or ceiling to where you want the upper mounting bolts to go. Mark that spot on each of your vertical lines.
This ensures your bolts will be close to horizontal with respect to each other, and most TV mounts have an adjustment mechanism to fine-tune the balance after installation. (I took my measurements from the ceiling.
Checking later with a spirit level, I found that this got me within an eighth of an inch of perfectly horizontal — more than close enough.)
Step 3: Mark, drill and bolt
That’s the hard work completed. Your mounting kit will show you how to attach the hanging hardware to the back of your TV. Then, you and a helpmate can lift the TV to its new perch. Happy viewing.
Variations: Steel studs, laths, concrete walls
Steel studs: Some modern buildings have thin metal studs instead of wood ones; when you drill into one of them, you’ll see a few metal shavings instead of a shower of sawdust. For these, you’ll need to use toggle bolts to mount the plate. Your kit may come with them, or you can find them at a hardware store. (Toggle bolts have
When installing a television on the wall, use a ratcheting wrench and socket set, rather than a standard wrench to make screwing in the mounting bolts easier. (ADOBE
a spring-loaded nut that slips behind the stud, then expands and catches against its inside surface as you tighten the bolt.)
Plaster over lath: If you can’t seem to find any studs with your stud finder, it’s likely your home has plaster-over-lath walls — a common feature in homes built before about 1950. Wood slats, or laths, were nailed to the studs, and a thick layer of plaster was applied over them. To find the studs, you have to locate the nails deep beneath the plaster, and most stud finders have trouble doing it.
One trick is to search along the baseboards, which may themselves be nailed to the studs. Another is to use a powerful rare-earth magnet — a bigger version of the magnets used in stud finders, and widely available online. After trying several, I found that a 1-inch
disc magnet worked best. Hold it loosely in your fingers so that you can feel when it begins to tug on a nail and sweep it like you would a stud finder. Neither method is foolproof, and you may need to try bruteforce methods, like drilling pilot holes or driving long nails until you hit a stud. (If you live in an apartment building with a superintendent, that person can probably show you where the studs are.)
Concrete walls: These can be drilled using a masonry bit, available at any hardware store. Your TV mount kit should come with plastic sleeve anchors that slip into the drill holes and give the mounting bolts something to hold onto. If not, the hardware store will have these, too.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
STOCK PHOTO)
GARDEN NOTES
STOCKBRIDGE
Upcoming program at Berkshire Botanical Garden
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming program: Beginning Friday, Feb. 21 through March 23, “The Bulb Show,” returns and opens daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A celebration of beauty, renewal and the magic of nature’s rhythms is back, and it’s free and open to all. Visit the Fitzpatrick Conservatory, to experience a spectacular preview of spring, a warm, enchanting escape in the depths of winter. This sensory delight features hundreds of flowering bulbs, including classic favorites like tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths, as well as lesser-known varieties.
Friday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to noon. Come to Berkshire Botanical Garden for a Winter Family Friday where you will enjoy MASS Audubon’s program “The Superpower of Winter Birds.” Have you seen any birds around you that never flew south for the winter? From tiny chickadees to massive hawks, these hardy animals have special ways to find their own food and shelter in the bitter cold. At this indoor program with Mass Audubon, get to know your feathered neighbors: which birds stay, why they don’t migrate, and their amazing strategies (or clever tricks) to brave the cold. A mix of short, interactive presentations and hands-on family activities will inspire you to look for wild birds in your backyard or beyond. Cost is $10 for members and nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
NORTHAMPTON
Amherst Orchid Society 2025 show
The Amherst Orchid Society is having its 2025 show on Saturday Feb. 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will
take place at Smith Vocational High School. Cost of admission will be $5, with children under 12 free. There will be hundreds of flowering orchids with thousands of flowers with plants ranging in size from under an inch, to a few feet. Displays from most of the orchid societies in New England in addition to the Amherst society’s display Wii be on view. There will be talks on cultivating orchids as well as plants for sale. For more information, please visit our website: https://amherst orchidsociety.org/
SPRINGFIELD Garden Club
upcoming gardening series
The Springfield Garden Club will host “Year Round Color in the Garden Horticultural Workshops” a series of classes for anyone interested in yearround interest in their yards and gardens. The programs will be at 2 p.m. on Sundays in February. Sunday, Feb. 23 is “Landscaping for Year-Round Beauty.” Want to enjoy your garden more in the spring, summer, fall, and winter? Learn how to design a garden that showcases vibrant color and fascinating textures that make it shine in every season.
The classes will be held in the Old Monkey House, in Forest Park on Sumner Ave. The fee is $10 per class and tickets are available at the door, on Eventbrite, by emailing spfldgardenclub@gmail.com or by calling 413-285-3163.
For more information on this and other Springfield Garden Club events go to www.gcfm. org/springfieldgardenclub or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/SpringfieldMAGardenClub/
WILBRAHAM
Garden Club scholarships
The Wilbraham Garden Club announces that applications are now being accepted for two, $1,000 scholarships to financially assist graduating seniors, who are residents of
Wilbraham or Hampden, as they transition to an institution of higher learning.
All applicants must be planning to major in one of these fields of study: Botany, horticulture, conservation, environmental engineering, environment science, earth systems, forest management, natural resources, plant, soil and insect science, sustainable agriculture, sustainable horticulture, food and farming, turf grass science and management,
landscape design and management technology, landscape architecture, oceanography, clean energy technology, floral design or land management.
Applicants must include a personal essay of 100-200 words, official high school transcript(s), two letters of recommendation, college acceptance letter(s) if available, along with the completed Wilbraham Garden Club Scholarship application. All required documentation must be received on or
before March 31. Notifications will be made by early May, and the recipients will be awarded their scholarships at the annual meeting of the Wilbraham Garden Club on June 5. Scholarship applications will be available at the Wilbraham and Hampden public libraries, Minnechaug Regional High School and Wilbraham & Monson Academy. Please contact howella413@ gmail.com with questions or to receive an application.
Lee Reich | In the Garden
Tapping into the sweet season
GET YOUR TAPS IN. IT’S syrup weather. Maple syrup. The periodic sunny days in the 40s with nights in the 20s that are predicted should get the sap flowing.
I say “should” because I haven’t yet checked sap buckets that I hung out on the trees during a recent warm spell; it was sap weather back then. That day was hopeful: I drilled holes an inch and a half deep, lightly hammered in the spiles, hung buckets, and attached covers over the buckets. Frigid days and nights that descended soon after that kept sap flow in abeyance.
My “sugar bush” amounts to only three sugar maple trees. I used to have four, but a large tree that was a truly magnificent representative of its species began an irreversible path to its death. “Maple decline” is a disease complex brought on by some combination of drought, soil compaction, road salt, root damage, and air pollution. Upper branches are usually the first to go, and once decline begins, secondary fungi and insects speed the process along.
I’m not sure about my tree, though, because its lower branches were the first to go. Also, the tree grows along the back edge of my property, where it’s been shielded from those usual causes for
decline.
One more contributor to decline is over-tapping. I plead not guilty. My fading tree was larger than the 8- or 10-inch minimum diameter for tapping, and I only tapped it once, when the tree, it turned out, was already going downhill. The lack of sap flow was what prompted me to see all this. And then I noticed many rows of sapsucker holes in the bark.
Long story short: The tree became firewood.
My three other, healthy maples might yield me only a quart of finished syrup. The reasons? One quart is enough for me, so I’m tapping only one of them. Also, they’re relatively young. I planted those three trees about 25 years ago, and they’re now only about 8 inches in diameter.
I highly recommend planting trees, for their beauty, for what food they might offer, and for the mere satisfaction of watching the plants grow. Especially if they are small when planted. Small trees also establish quickly to require less aftercare, often soon outgrowing their initially larger compatriots. Those three maple trees? From one perspective, it seems like a long time ago that I dug holes and set the saplings in the ground; from another perspective, it seems like I planted them, walked away, then
EAST LONGMEADOW
East Longmeadow Garden Club Scholarship
$1,000 Garden Club Scholarship Applications are now available for the 2025 Esther A. Rosati Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 at the East Longmeadow High School guidance office, the East Longmeadow Public Library and can be downloaded from eastlongmeadowgard.wixsite. com/gardens.
Applicants must: presently be an East Longmeadow High School senior or a recent graduate of East Longmeadow High school who is planning
turned right around to find that these young ‘uns have grown into bona fide trees!
I may end up with more sap than planned, but not maple sap. Along with the three sugar maples I planted way back when, I also planted three river birches (Betula nigra). They grow, appropriate to their name, in a wet area just out of a swale through which water runs in spring, each a clump of a half dozen or so sturdy trunks reaching skyward to about 35 feet.
Maple might be the heaviest sap producing tree, but it’s not the only kid on the block. Many people tap their black walnut trees. Call me provincial, but black walnut syrup, much as I love the nuts themselves, has no appeal me even though I’ve never tasted it.
Birch syrup though . . . mmm. Never tasted that one either, but it sounds good. Three birch taps should offer an ample amount for tasting. I have subsequently tapped the birch trees and a black walnut. Birch syrup is not for backyard production. Because it contains glucose and fructose, versus the mostly sucrose maple syrup requires such careful monitoring that commercially it’s concentrated by reverse osmosis.
Black walnut syrup, on the other hand, just like maple syrup, is easy to make and delicious.
to attend an institution of higher learning in the fall of 2025; or an East Longmeadow High School graduate student who is a resident of East Longmeadow and is attending an institution of higher learning; or an East Longmeadow High School student who is a resident and has been accepted to participate in a special academic program.
All applicants must be planning to pursue a degree in agriculture, botany, conservation, ecology, environmental science or any other related field. Applications and a copy of an official transcript must be received on or before March 15.
Applicants being considered may be contacted by the East Longmeadow Garden Club’s Scholarship Committee for an interview.
The recipient will be awarded the $1,000 scholarship at the annual May meeting of the East Longmeadow Gar-
I highly recommend planting trees, for their beauty, for what food they might offer, and for the mere satisfaction of watching the plants grow.
den Club. Send completed application and transcript to: East Longmeadow Garden Club Scholarship Committee, c/o Diane A. Tiago, 38 Rogers Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028.
AGAWAM
Agawam Garden Club scholarships
Applications are now available for the Agawam Garden Club 2025 scholarship. To qualify for the scholarship students must be a graduating senior of Agawam High School or a college student who graduated from Agawam High School and is planning to attend an institution of higher learning in the Fall. Applicants must be majoring in or planning on majoring in one of the following: botany, environmental engineering, environmental science,
earths 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 related studies. The recipient will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship at the clubs annual May meeting. Completed applications along with transcripts and references must be submitted to Denise Carmody, 40 Primrose Lane, Agawam MA, 01001 by April 1. Applications are available through Agawam High School or can be found on our website at agawamgardenclub.com.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
This maple syrup bucket is almost full and ready for boiling. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Many ironstone patterns imitate East Asian designs
IF YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH 19th-century ceramics, you probably know about ironstone. It was first made by English potter Miles Mason, who sold Chinese export porcelain and decided to make his own replacements for broken dishes. To make these replacements, he created a ceramic using slag from processing iron, which his son patented as ironstone in 1813. Heavy, durable and hard to chip, it was clearly different from porcelain, but quickly became a favorite for tableware. Many other potteries began making ironstone, especially in the Staffordshire district of England. Albion Pottery, also known as Bourne & Leigh, active from about 1892 to 1941, was one of them.
The platter shown here, which sold for $95 at DuMouchelles, is an example of their ironstone. The pattern’s name, “Chinese,” evokes Mason’s original intention of making dishes to use with Chinese porcelain. Many popular ironstone patterns imitated East Asian designs. This Albion Pottery platter includes a landscape with buildings and a bridge with a figure, reminiscent of Nanking china or the design that inspired the famous Blue Willow pattern. A close look at the platter’s border shows geometric patterns like the ones found on Chinese porcelain.
Q.I have a child’s chair shaped like a handcarved bear cub that looks like a Black Forest piece but I’m not sure. Can you tell me, and what it is worth? How old, too?
A. Black Forest furniture was first made in the late 1800s. Several wood carving schools were established in Switzerland and southern Germany by then. Wooden furniture and figurines carved into the shapes of local animals like deer, bears and wolves were popular souvenirs. Walnut and linden woods were frequently used. Carving shops were often run by families. One of the most famous was the Trauffer family of Switzerland. Three generations of Trauffers made Black Forest furniture from the 1880s to the 1950s. Check your chair for a maker’s signature. Black Forest furniture production declined by the 1960s because it was going out of fashion. However, it came back into fashion in the 1980s; since then, reproduction pieces have been made outside Germany and Switzerland. Authentic Black Forest furniture from about 1880 to 1950 sells for high
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.
Stevens & Williams, vase, custard glass, ruffled rim, amber edge, applied amber vine handle, leaves, pink flowers, swollen base, round foot, 4 1/2 inches, $65.
Opaline, vase, blue bands, gilt trim, multicolor flowers around shoulder, flared neck, slightly flared base, 9 inches, pair, $100.
Lamp, electric, upturned shade, milk glass, porcelain base, light blue, allover raised motifs, four sides, square base, dragon handles, brass mounts, mid-20th century, 38 inches, $130.
Furniture, chair set, midcentury modern, maple, split barrel back, upholstered back and seat, arms, marked, Italy, 29 1/2 x 26 inches, three pieces, $160.
prices. Pieces with bears have sold for about $300 to over $3,000 at recent auctions. Pieces with large animal figures as part of the structure, like a table that appears to be held up by its bear-shaped supports or chairs like yours where the bear makes up the chair’s back, seat and arms, tend to sell for more. Bears are the most common animal seen in Black Forest furniture, so pieces that feature other animals can get even higher prices.
Q. I own some china I have had for years. I don’t use it and would like to sell it but don’t know how much to ask for it. The pattern is Old Country Roses by Royal Albert.
A. The Royal Albert brand was created in 1904 by the Albert Works pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It started making its famous flowered patterns by the 1920s. In 1962, the company’s art director, Harold Holdcroft, introduced the Old Country Roses pattern, which quickly became one of the world’s most beloved fine china patterns.
Today, Wedgwood owns the Royal Albert brand and sells Old Country Roses china. The new dishes are not made in England. Vintage Old Country Roses sells at antiques shops and auctions. Full sets can sell for about $150 to $500 at auction. Individual pieces
sell for about $10 to $30, with rare pieces selling for more. If a shop sells on consignment, they will know what prices to ask. However, if you decide to sell to an antiques dealer, you will have to set the prices.
A general rule for selling dishes in patterns that are still being made is to charge no more than 50% of the retail price for new dishes. There are also pattern-matching services that buy and sell vintage dishes, glassware and silverware for customers who are looking for replacements for broken or missing dishes. They can be a good option. No matter how you decide to sell your dishes, be sure you get a signed contract with a written description of the items, including damage and repairs, and the terms of sale and any fees you will be charged.
TIP: To whiten stained ironstone, soak it, completely submerged, for a week. Then heat it in a preheated electric oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.
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
Rug, needlework, Aubusson style, large center oval medallion, leafy scrolled spandrels, bellflower vine border, Lacey Champion, 20th century, 11 feet 10 inches x 15 feet 6 inches, $165.
Castor set, five bottles, Venetian stripe, opal shakers, blue oil and vinegar, round stand, ring holder, pressed glass foot, white rim, Buckeye Glass Co., c. 1888, 12 inches, $250.
Sports, snooker, scoreboard, mahogany, walnut, shaped top, gilt urn finial, three mirrors, sliding markers, Victorian, 27 1/2 x 38 inches, $255. Tiffany, letter rack, Grapevine, gilt bronze, caramel slag glass, ball feet, marked, early 1900s, 5 x 6 x 2 inches, $560.
Advertising, cabinet, Dr. B.J. Kendall’s, patent medicines, veterinary, wood, glass door, two interior shelves, 38 x 18 inches, $1,030. Furniture, buffet, A. Ungenthum, art nouveau, mahogany, two tiers, four upper doors, glass panels, marble top, two lower doors, carved trim, c. 1905, 75 x 76 inches, $1,835.
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.
Printed Staffordshire pottery goes beyond blue transfers. This oval platter by Albion Pottery has colorful decorations reminiscent of Chinese porcelain. (PHOTO COURTESY OF DUMOUCHELLES)
Average US rate on a 30-year mortgage eases to 6.87%
Rate marks fourth straight weekly decline
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the fourth week in a row, an encouraging sign for prospective home shoppers as the spring homebuying season gets underway.
The average rate fell to 6.87% from 6.89% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, it averaged 6.77%.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixedrate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, rose this week. The average rate increased to 6.09% from 6.05% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.12%, Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including how the
Deeds
AGAWAM
Ann Marie Meade, Jacquelyn Wheeler, Amy Ringuette, Gregory Ringuette, Julie Claffey, Melissa J. Lemire, Melissa J. Perry, Michael T. Perry Jr., and Mathieu D. Perry to Mahmoud Jumaa Al Yasine, 15 Porter Drive, $300,000.
Bonnie L. Blair to Scott Massoia and Bonnie Massoia, 66 Fernwood Drive, $170,000.
Garrett S. Forna to Deepon Realty LLC, 6 Beekman Drive, Unit 6, $217,000.
James B. Craig to Nelly Korniyenko and Pavel Savich, 239 Southwick St., $245,000.
Jan Misiak and Elzbieta Misiak to Joshua Houghton and Aline Parnagian, 116 Barbara Lane, $499,900.
Jeanne Corcoran to Sally Rueli, 14 Ash Lane, Unit 14, $315,000.
Wendi L. Sacco to Brenden Mahoney and Sarah Grant, 239 Maynard St., $270,000.
Yegor Muravskiy and Mikhail Murauski to Leonel Rivas, 164-166 Walnut St., $500,000.
AMHERST
E. Alex Gillat and Batsheva Gillat to Kuan Yan, 2 Dwight Circle, $450,000.
Patricia A. Rusan and Nasser Rusan, attorney-in-fact, to Dinesh
bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, but has been mostly hovering around 7% this year. That’s more than double the 2.65% record low the average rate hit a little over four years ago.
Rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have kept many prospective home shoppers on the sidelines, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years, extending a national home sales slump that began in 2022 as mortgage rates began to climb from their pandemic-era lows.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now at its lowest level since Dec. 26, when it was 6.85%.
Parmar and Anu Parmar, 170 East Hadley Road, $251,000.
James M. Hayes and Katherine Hayes to Katherine Abbott and Peter Zaidel, 3 Duxbury Lane, $397,000.
Murray M. Schwartz and Peggy Schwartz to Lessey Lessee LLC, 108 Lessey St., $850,000.
Emily G. Lewis to Nicholas Ring, 19 Salem Place, $265,000.
East Pleasant Street Partners LLC, to U&A LLC, 59 South East St., $930,000.
Katerina Gonzalez Seligmann and Erika R. Williams to Carolina Sopper and Benjamin Pittman-Polletta, 239 Pelham Road, $455,000.
ASHFIELD
Raymond Gray and Stuart Harris to Brianna DuPree and Bruce DuPree, 229 Creamery Road, $250,000.
Sally G. Sasso to Melanie Fallon, 245 Main St., $113,750.
BELCHERTOWN
Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC, to Americo Freitas, 41 Dressel Ave., $245,905.
Kenneth I. Hislop, Lyle G. Hislop and Robert L. Hislop to M & G Land Development LLC, Jensen Road, $335,000.
Valthea McGee Fry, trustee, David J. Fry, trustee, Valthea McGee Fry 2005 Revocable Trust and David
The latest pullback in rates echoes a decline in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide for pricing home loans.
The yield was at 4.79% just a few weeks ago, reflecting fears that inflation may remain stubbornly higher amid a solid U.S. economy and the potential impact of tariffs and other policies proposed by the Trump administration.
A report on Thursday said inflation at the wholesale level was hotter than economists expected last month, following a similar report on inflation at the U.S. consumer level that came the day before.
Still, Treasury yields eased. The 10-year yield was at 4.54% in midday trading Thursday.
Given the latest inflation snapshots, mortgage rates are unlikely to drop significantly any time soon. That’s because bond investors demand higher returns as long as inflation remains elevated, which should put upward
J. Fry 2005 Revocable Trust to Brad Richardson and Sara Richardson, Sabin Street, $75,000.
James H. Shaw to James H. Shaw II, and Christine E. Shaw, 285 Ware Road, $150,000.
Valthea McGee Fry, trustee, David J. Fry, trustee, Valthea McGee Fry 2005 Revocable Trust and David J. Fry 2005 Revocable Trust to Charles W. Feldman and Sally A. Feldman, Sabin Street, $150,000.
David J. Fry, trustee, Valthea McGee Fry, trustee, Valthea McGee Fry 2005 Revocable Trust and David J. Fry 2005 Revocable Trust to Anastasiya McWilliams, Cold Spring Street, $75,000.
Valthea McGee Fry, trustee, David J. Fry, trustee, Valthea McGee Fry 2005 Revocable Trust and David J. Fry 2005 Revocable Trust to Gregory R. Lagrant and Leigh A. Lagrant, Cold Spring Street, $75,000.
Michelle R. Jones and Steven C. Setaro to Michael Sittard and Shannon Brown, 3 Blacksmith Road, $379,900.
BERNARDSTON
Christopher Raymond, “aka” Christopher C. Raymond, and Debra Raymond, “aka” Debra J. Raymond, to Town of Bernardston, 167 Northfield Road & Merrifield Road, $1,600,000. Jason Ellis and Carrie E. Graham-Ellis to Carol L. Adams and Kellyanne L. Adams, 12 Harwood
pressure on the 10-year Treasury yield. And then there’s the Fed, which has signaled a more cautious approach as it gauges where inflation is headed and what policies the Trump administration will pursue.
The central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged last month after cutting it three times in a row to close 2024.
While the Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, its decision to hold its main interest rate steady suggests mortgage rates won’t budge much in the near term.
Forecasts from several economists mostly call for the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to remain above 6% this year, with some economists including an upper range as high as 6.8%.
“Prospective buyers and sellers should expect mortgage rates to remain in the high-6% range heading into the spring market,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS.
Drive, $294,900.
BLANDFORD
Marcia Fellows, representative, and Olga Barlow, estate, to Ronnie Armany, 4 Russell Stage Road, $75,000.
SBC Tower Holdings LLC, to American Tower Asset Sub II LLC, Chester Road, $255,400.
BRIMFIELD
Gerald R. Knouse and Lore L. Knouse to David P. Brigham and Ellen Y. H. Brigham, 92 Allen Hill Road, $675,000.
CHARLEMONT
John S. Hoffman and Kathryn K. Stevens to Hannah P. Specht and Martin C. Specht, West Oxbow Road, $30,000.
CHESTER
Daniel T. Gorey to Gary P. Perrier, 396 Route 20, $240,000.
CHESTERFIELD
M. Stephen Baca and Milan
Stephen Baca to Milan Stephen Baca, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of Milan Stephen Baca, East Street Off, $100.
Howard P. Terry Jr., personal representative, Judith A. Terry, estate, and Judith Arlene Terry,
estate, to John S. Cote, trustee, Sylvia L. Cote, trustee, and Cote Family Revocable Trust, Antin Road, $75,000.
CHICOPEE
Andrew J. Wesolowski to Joseph Starkoff and Amber Szczygiel, 35 Whitin St., $160,000.
Brad F. Desmarais to Casey Banville and Alexander Voisine, 825 Grattan St., $280,000.
Brenda M. Bak, representative, Bruno M Bak, estate, and Bruno Michael Bak, estate, to Mabel Antwi-Boasiako, 95 Forest St., $220,000.
Edward R. DeJordy, estate, and Thomas E. DeJordy, representative, to Rosie L. Urbina and Rosie Urbina, 954 McKinstry Ave., $270,000.
Idalina Ferreira to Joaquim C. Martins and Maria A. Martins, 0 Montgomery Street, $335,000.
Karen D. Rattell to Selenia Jacobs, 107 Mitchell Drive, $220,000.
Mark V. Bartosz and Lindsey Labelle to Matthew Richard, 38 Nye St., $295,000.
Mohammad Attique and Nosheen Attique to Brian Wodecki and Marianne Welch, 40 Shaban Drive, $370,000.
Peter F. Kearing, trustee, and Union Street Realty Nominee Trust, trustee of, to Wrecker LLC, 920 Sheridan St., $350,000.
SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8
Deeds
Russell R. Tougas and Nancy J. Tougas to Rosalba Sanchez and George Zurita, 96 Blanchwood Ave., $375,000.
Suzanne Valcheva and Vladimir Valchev to Nicholas Meuse, 160 Jacob St., $335,000.
Todd Hortie, Elizabth Hortie and Elizabeth Hortie to Maribel Santiago, 25 Kendall St., $220,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
18 Knollwood Drive LLC, to James Bedell and Haily Elizabeth Yelle, 18 Knollwood Drive, $300,000.
Joseph Ngaruiya to Joseph Ngaruiya and Esther N. Muya, 9 Farmer Circle, $199,000. Kathleen T. Speight, Maureen P. Van Tassel, Maureen P. Speight, Thomas J. Speight, Eileen A. Speight, Eileen A. Cataldo, Patricia E. Bundy, Sheila M. Logan and Johanna S. Trainor to Britany Merrill and Ann Marie Martin, 300 Elm St., $295,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Todd C. Ratner, trustee, Revocable Indenture of Trust of Yolande J. Korona, Bruce J. Korona, trustee, Bruce J. Korona and Korona Family Trust to Allie R. Zashin-Jacobson, 7 Keddy St., $310,000.
Christopher C. Murphy, Chris C. Murphy and Jennifer F. Silver to Silver Murphy Irrevocable Trust, 26 Hisgen Ave., $100.
Pineview Development LLC, and West Co Investments LLC, to John G. Walber and Julie Slavet, 14 Nicols Way, $690,000.
Susan P. Manning to Irene Manning, 47 Ashley Circle, $76,000.
Irene Manning to Scott David Bergen and Christine Bergen, 47 Ashley Circle, $500,000.
Foxy Properties LLC, to Easthampton Mahadev LLC, 18-20 Hampton Terrace, $250,000.
ERVING
Amy Eichorn and Megan Soto, personal representatives of the Estate of Sandra J. Niedzwiedz, to Accurate Property Investments LLC, 5 Goodell Place, “fka” 3 Goodell Place, $250,000.
GILL
Lea Banks and John R. Goodrich to Alec Goodwin, 479 Main Road, $280,000.
GOSHEN
Diane E. Jones to Peter S. Rider and Judith Cowell Meredith, 5C Wildwood Lane and Spruce Corner Road, $154,500.
GRANBY
Gerald Lorenz to John G. Lorenz and Melanie R. Lorenz, Amherst Road, $100.
Taylor Seelen to Tenzin Nyima and Parash Shrestha Pijar, 55 Pleasant St., $274,000.
GRANVILLE
Thomas J. MacDonald and Chasity A. MacDonald to Timothy J. Kent, 308 Crest Lane, $625,000.
GREENFIELD
Terry H. Veber to NH JJC 2024 LLC, 116-120 Elm St., $180,000.
Alycar Investments LLC, to Emerson Properties LLC, 51-53 Place Terrace, $299,900.
Barbara A. Kievenaar to Mary Hunter Kratt, 198 Plain Road, $321,000.
Ellen Bond, trustee of the Bond Investment Trust, to Adam J. Provost, 316 Davis St., $230,000.
HADLEY
William R. Handrich Jr., trustee, Priscilla E. Handrich, trustee, and William R. Handrich Jr & Priscilla E. Handrich Family Trust to Keith Rehbein and Dalys Rehbein, 50 Moody Bridge Road, $539,000.
HAMPDEN
Jillen F. Holmes to Frank W. Kochanowski and Carly Kochanowski, 256 North Road, $675,000.
HATFIELD
Martha M. Zigmont and Martha M. Zygmont to Szawlowski Realty Inc., Main Street, $41,998.
HEATH
Union Evangelical Church of Heath, “aka” Heath Union Church, to Jay A. Ouellette and Lauralee R. Ouellette, 51 Bray Road, $300,000.
HOLYOKE
Bank of America to Equity Trust Co., custodian, Armando Roman IRA, and Armando Roman, 12 St. James Ave., $180,000.
Caroline I. Cotto to Olga K. Perozo, 20 Clark St., Unit 22, $440,000.
Executive Estates LLC, to Tanishika LLC, 337 Appleton St., $475,000.
Manuel F. Lucio and Sook Yew Tang to Michael Obannon and Theresa Jenoure, 9 Prew Ave., Unit A4, $108,000.
Tracy A. Caisse, Tracy Anne Alexander and Randy Sue Lammi to Tracy Anne Alexander and Donald Ray Alexander Jr., 25 Central Park Drive, $244,000.
HUNTINGTON
Paula S. Ramsey to Ivy J. McClaflin, trustee, and Paula S. Ramsey Irrevocable Trust, 13 Allen Coit Road, $100.
LONGMEADOW
Carole Perlman Davidson, estate, Carole P. Davidson, estate, and Benjamin M. Coyle, representative, to Fangyu Liu and Liming Wang, 5 Pleasantview Ave., $362,450.
Stewart J. Cort Dugan, representative, S. J. Cort Dugan, representative, Susan S. Dugan, estate, and Susan Stott Dugan, estate, to Denise Brown, 19 Tabor Crossing, $410,000.
Susan S. Alden to Peter H. Jones and Cassandra L. Szalewicz, 57 Cooley Drive, $343,000.
LUDLOW
Dennis F. McCarthy and Deborah McCarthy to Jonathan Goyer, 1327-1329 East St., $440,000.
KMAD Inc., to Perfect Properties LLC, 21 Harding Ave., $525,000.
Leonildo Ramos to Hedge Hog Industries Corp., Focosi Lane, Lot 17, $43,500.
Whitetail Wreks LLC, to Danill Gerasimchuk, Balsam Hill Road, Lot 72, $177,900.
Whitetail Wreks LLC, to Danill Gerasimchuk, Balsam Hill Road, Lot 80, $169,900.
MONSON
Erick Vasquez and Melissa Vasquez to Bruce A. Hunt, Jr., and Margarita Hunt, 381 Silver St., $350,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Nu-Way Homes Inc., to Jennifer Jenkins, 180 State St., $799,900.
Linda J. Scarsella, personal representative, and Jean C. Michalowski, estate, to Steven P. Digiammo, 34 Parsons St., $40,000.
Steven C. Bartlett, trustee, Stephen C. Bartlett, Clarence W. Hinton III, trustee, Clarence W. Hinton III, Stephen C. Bartlett Living Trust and Clarence W. Hinton III Living Trust to Shaine A. Meulmester and Stephen E. Toriello, Warner Street and 58 Norwood Ave., $60,000.
Catherine R. Hodes to Catherine R. Hodes and Holly Richardson, 68 North Main St., $100.
Bryan M. Jersky, trustee, Brandina Morrison Jersky, trustee, and Bryan & Brandina Jersky Revocable Trust to Peter M. Levy and Madeline Maguire, 8 Blackberry Lane, $1,000.
Phillips Enterprises Realty LLC, to Proviso Re Holdings MA LLC, 149 Easthampton Road, $4,190,000.
NORTHFIELD
Gail M. Bedard and Joseph W. Bedard, trustees of the Bedard Investment Trust, to Douglas J. Mahon and Elizabeth Bednarski Mahon, 15 North Lane, $400,000.
ORANGE
Barkley Enterprises LLC, to Samantha Bridgman, 66 Marjorie St., $383,900.
Francis D. Hickey III, and Lisa M. Hickey to Steven Wazal and Teara Wazal, 28 Daniel Shays Highway, $291,400.
PALMER
Diego V. Calle and Diego Calle to Richard K. Kirchner and Rikki L. Kirchner, 2175-2177 Main St., $342,220.
Lazy River Housing Co. LLC, to Miner Invest-
ments LLC, 1501 North Main St., $260,000.
Robert A. Smigiel Jr., Nicole Smigiel and Nicole D. Lesperance to Joshua Heinz, 1034 School St., $310,000.
Roger Parker to Caleb Jeremiah Demers, 1216 Commercial St., $349,000.
William F. Petrashewicz to Malinda Manley, Edward Manley and Elizabeth Manley, 87 South High St., $306,000.
RUSSELL
Peyton J. O’Connor and Danielle Aldrich to John L. Ody and Tristen Lynne Candiano, 42 West Main St., $305,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Maurice Roy, trustee, and Judith Picknelly Revocable Living Trust to Kenneth J. Riddle, Kenneth James Riddle, Cynthia C. Riddle and Cynthia Clare Riddle, 79 Shadowbrook Estate, $499,900.
Paul D. Boudreau and Gregg F. Orlen to John A. Bresnahan Jr., and Daniel P. Bresnahan, 19 Hadley St., $270,000.
Gerald Lorenz to John G. Lorenz and Melanie R. Lorenz, Amherst Road, $100.
Paul A. Tardif, trustee, Jane Theberge Tardif, trustee, and Jane Theberge Tardif Revocable Living Trust to Christine Roy, 44 Alvord Place, $410,000.
Thomas Spring Builder LLC, and Thomas Spring-Builder LLC, to PAH Properties LLC, 34 Bridge St., $558,000.
Yassine Zian to Mohamed Bendrao, 47-49 School St., $370,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
TRPOCO Inc., to Mass Postal Holdings LLC, 8 Pomeroy Meadow Road, $1,070,000. Timofey Banar to Beth Arwen Huntley and Chadwick Alexander Huntley, 14 Bluemer Road, $390,000.
SOUTHWICK
Elaine B. Samsell to Maribe A. Pooler, 14 Third St., $5,000.
Sandra S. Ciarci, Sandra A. Merlini and Paul Ciarci to Brian Benson, 27 Fred Jackson Road, $370,000.
Wes Properties LLC, to Zachary Thomas and Sabrina Provost, 233 College Highway, $359,900.
SPRINGFIELD
572 St. James Avenue LLC, to Gogri Bros LLC, 572 St James Ave., $500,000.
Andrew J. Tenczar and Hedwig F. Tenczar to Alexander Adu, 57-59 Dubois St., $288,000.
Anthony J. Morini to Kinan Al Haffar and Shirin Kokobaeva, 11-13 Parkside St., $400,000.
ARPC LLC, to Cathryn A Cole and Babacar Diouf, 79 Perkins St., $340,000.
Forbes & Forbes Enterprises Inc., to Redempta Agwanda, 9 Quebec St., $430,000.
Craig B. Schacher to Jean Delix Rejouis, 381383 Oakland St., $325,000.
Tips for winter sowing
By Jessica Damiano Associated Press
It’s either time — or nearly time — to start seeds indoors for the upcoming growing season, depending on where you live. But what about starting them outdoors, despite the frozen ground, whipping winds and, perhaps, snow cover?
I’m gearing up to sow tomatoes, beets, herbs and zinnias, among others, in a couple of weeks. But instead of allowing all of them to take over my kitchen counter and spare bedroom for the following six to eight weeks, I’ll be starting some seeds outdoors. Winter sowing is an easy, low-maintenance technique for planting seeds in miniature, makeshift greenhouses that you can make yourself from upcycled materials. And it may even be better than nurturing seeds indoors. Left to their own accord, seeds would drop to the ground in late summer or autumn, survive winter, then germinate when the soil and air temperatures are optimal. So why not mimic nature by creating your own, albeit somewhat controlled, version of the process?
What you’ll need
Forget the heat mats and grow lights. The only materials and equipment you’ll need for winter sowing are suitable containers, potting mix and seeds.
Any food-safe container with a lid that can hold roughly 3 inches of potting mix will do. Plastic milk and water jugs are popular choices, as are takeout containers and clamshell salad packages.
If using plastic jugs, poke holes in the bottom for drainage, then cut them roughly in half horizontally, but not all the way through (allow a section to remain connected to serve as a hinge).
If using shallow, lidded containers, also poke a few holes in their lids for ventilation. For jugs, holes in the top aren’t necessary; instead, you will be leaving their caps off.
Add 3 inches of moistened seed-starting mix to shallow containers or the bottom halves of jugs. Avoid using garden soil, which is too dense for seedlings
and may harbor pathogens that could threaten their health.
Choosing your plants
Not all plants are suitable for winter sowing. Heat lovers, like my tomatoes and zinnias, are best started indoors (or outdoors after the danger of frost has passed) because their sprouts are too tender to withstand low temperatures.
But cold-tolerant herbs, such as parsley, sage and cilantro; cool-season vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, beets, lettuce and cauliflower; hardy perennials, such as milkweed, black-eyed Susans and coneflowers; and tough annuals, like pansies and snapdragons are all good candidates.
Now for the sowing ...
Plant your seeds in the mix, following the depth recommended on their package labels, and snap on container lids or, if using jugs, use duct tape to affix the top and bottom sections back together. Use a permanent marker to label each container with the type of seed sown within it. You might think you’ll remember which is which come spring but trust me — you won’t.
Group containers together in a sunny spot that’s somewhat protected from wind, such as against a wall, and leave them be. Snow and rain will water them naturally, and the freezethaw cycles of the great outdoors will aid their germination.
Seeds germinate when they’re good and ready. They don’t follow calendars but instead respond to daylengths and temperatures. When seedlings are about 2 inches high and freezing temperatures no longer threaten, remove container lids (or detach the top halves of jugs) during the day to acclimate them to the weather. Cover and reseal the containers at night, when frost could damage or kill them. When the danger of frost has passed in your horticultural zone, your seedlings will be ready for transplanting into the garden or pots. Since they’ll already be hardened against weather conditions, they will be more resilient and vigorous than their indoor-sown counterparts.
Deeds
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F8
Cynthia A. Pereira and Steven C. Roach to Ihi Wave LLC, 372 El Paso St., $170,000.
David P. Cortelli to Gogri Bros LLC, 576 St James Ave., $350,000.
Denise McKenna to EH Home Solutions Realty LLC, 140 Chestnut St., Unit 606, $125,000.
Edward A. Kelly and Judith D. Kelly to Rogelio Marquez, 15 Clarendon St., $230,000.
Ernesto Ortiz and Arlene Beauchamp to Jason Beauchamp and Victoria Beauchamp, 81 Methuen St., $265,000.
Esther Barker to James P. Hickey and Samantha Church, 101 Manchester Terrace, $297,500.
F & E Enterprises LLC, to Maria E. Rodriguez, 37 Hartford Terrace, $365,000.
Flipflopwws LLC, to David Santos Jr., 5-7 Ventura St., $350,000.
Gabriel Rivers to Eduardo Hernandez, 239 Pasco Road, $225,000.
Gemini Town Homes LLC, to Edwin G. Macharia, 61 Morris St., Unit 206, $170,000.
Gemini Town Homes LLC, to Misael Colon, 55 Morris St., Unit 203, $189,000.
Jackie W. Nero Jr., to Siyoum Woldetatios, 23 Middle St., $245,000.
Jason P. Fahey to Kateryna Godin and Orlando Hernandez, 65 Garland St., $240,000.
John T. Holowitz to James Kelleher and Michelle Kelleher, 183 Porter Lake Drive, $256,000.
Joseph Coat and Renard Bellamy to Caroline Merck, 62 Temple St., $330,000.
Keisha Dejesus and Joshua Pikul to Melissa Escalante and Robert Escalante, 522 Plumtree Road, $260,000.
Kelnate Realty LLC, to Kelnate Realty LLC, and Corpulent Porpoise LLC, 228 Belmont Ave., $100.
Springfield 69 Winter Gardens LLC, to Wilvladison DeCastro, 126128 Belmont Ave., $305,000.
Lynn M. Serafino to Dennis Bissonnette, 107 Slumber Lane, $60,000.
MTGLQ Investors LP, to 194 Holdings LLC, 97 Parallel St., $190,000. Northeast Capital LLC, to Yamaris De Leon and Stephanie N. Noguera, 80-82 Corona St., $353,000.
Onassis Martinez to Edward Garcia-Baez, 24-26 Sachem St., $342,783.
Pah Properties LLC, to Sailish N. Oquendo, 101 Mulberry St., Unit 414, $135,000.
Peter J. Cokotis and Nancy J. Cokotis to Kevin V. Palaia, trustee, and
Davis Family Trust, trustee of, 72 Nassau Drive, $225,000.
RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, to Dickinson Oakland LLC, 176-182 Oakland St., $1,590,000.
Regina D. Kleiner to Rachelle Jasmin Cherival and Jean Sorel Jasmin, 29 Pilgrim Road, $330,000.
Rosalba Sanchez and George Zurita to Betsy Y. Medina, 30 Fayette St., $320,000.
Ryan Lau and Caroline A. Pratt to Lisa Caron and Bruce Caron, 71 Gilbert Ave., $279,000.
Skyspec LLC, to Latisha Jackson and Tionne Jackson, 26-28 Wendell Place, $465,000.
Tower Realty Parker St. LLC, to John Lopes, 408 Sumner Ave., $380,000.
Tuo Na Liang to Elendida Morales Perez and Elmer Rolando Perez De Leon, 55 Mapledell St., $200,000.
Viktor Savonin to Milton Santos and Antonia Rivera, 4 Wilber St., $420,000.
Witman Properties Inc., to Alexander Lopez and Joshua Cordero, 64-66 Pasadena St., $357,500.
SUNDERLAND
Veronica Laurenitis to Loretta Laurenitis, Plumtree Road and N. Plain Road, $180,000.
WALES
William McCaffrey to William Mathiau and Kathryn Mathiau, 9 Ainsworth Hill Road, $90,000.
WARE
Andrew J. Bonneau to Andrew J. Bonneau and Breanna Arlene Goodrich, 31 Meadow Road, $100.
Blackwell Properties LLC, to B&B Investments LLC, 116-118 North St., $349,900.
L & R LLC, to Dugas Frostee LLC, 149 East St., $705,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Aga Brothers LLC, to Javat Azizov, 292-294 Main St., $470,000. BRVS LLC, to Jenaya Hall, 86-88 Fairview Ave., $415,000.
Collin M. Williams and Brian Williams to Artur V. Kaptyug, 481-4 Cold Spring Ave., $135,000.
Gregory C. Tudryn, trustee, and Gregory C. Tudryn Living Trust, trustee of, to Patricia A. Casinghino, 18 Ivy Hollow Road, Unit 19, $220,000.
H2 Asset Solutions Inc., to Cornerstone Homebuying LLC, 333 Massachusetts Ave., $214,000.
John P. Wiechec Jr., representative, Alan B. Wiechec, representative, Agnes Ruth Wiechec, estate, and
Agnes R. Wiechec, estate, to H2 Asset Solutions Inc., 333 Massachusetts Ave., $172,900.
Joseph Rocco to Kobby’s Place LLC, 211 Bonnie Brae Drive, $160,000.
Michael Readinger, representative, and Bruce A. Goldsborough, estate, to West Co. Investments LLC, 636 Amostown Road, $180,000.
Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Dominic Santaniello, trustee, to Equity Trust Co., custodian, Robert Lareau IRA, and Robert Lareau, 76 Wolcott Ave., $205,000.
Paul Del Buono, Nancy B. Del Buono, Nancy B. Delbuono, Donald P. Del Buono and Leda D. Del Buono to Fede Properties LLC, 338 Westfield St., $520,000.
Paul Ellsworth Realty LLC, to Round Two LLC, 316 Park St., $535,000.
WESTFIELD
Beatrice E. Pliska to Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Dominic Santaniello, trustee, 51 Washington St., $100,000.
Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, to Konstantin Belyakov, 22 Reed St., $245,000.
KMAK LLC, to Timothy J. Fitzgerald and Bridget Fitzgerald, 18 Glenwood Drive, $415,000.
Tierneys Train Depot LLC, to Tandem Elm Street Properties LLC, 16 North Elm St., $675,000.
Timothy J. Kent to Ryan Towle and Michael Towle, 944 Western Ave., $320,000.
Timothy Michael Rivers to Benjamin Corriveau, 19 Adams St., $270,000.
WILBRAHAM
Alison M. Bartlett-O’Donald, conservator, and Josephine Carabello, estate, to HRD Holdings LLC, 9 Sunnyside Terrace, $340,000.
Catherine Q. Kelly to Martin Shaun Kelly, 16 Mountainbrook Road, $150,000.
Jeffrey Allard and Laura Allard to Erick Vasquez and Melissa Vasquez, 30 Silver St., $1,000.
Judith A. Wing to Anthony Carnevale, 1047 Stony Hill Road, $345,000.
WILLIAMSBURG
Jeffrey Krasofski, personal representative, and Stephen F. Krasofski, estate, to Adin Baird and Ellen Noble, 86 Briar Hill Road, $314,150.
William J. Miller to Daniel Jongeling and Amy Yanni, 10 North Main St., $292,000.
The complete guide to using bleach at home
By Jeanne Huber
Q.Where is it safe to use bleach, and where isn’t it?
A.Some situations are safe, others are clearly not safe. And sometimes it depends on the kind of bleach — a chlorine formula? or one free of chlorine? — or the concentration and dwell time (how long the bleach is in contact with a material).
But before going into those details, it’s important to understand bleach, and what it can and cannot do. Bleach — especially the chlorine type — is highly caustic. Splashes may cause eye damage, and the fumes can damage lungs if they’re allowed to build up. Chlorine-free bleach, often called oxygen bleach or color-safe bleach, doesn’t cause hazardous fumes and isn’t as caustic as chlorine bleach, but it is still very alkaline. OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, one of the best-known oxygen bleaches, has a pH as high as 11, the same as some chlorine bleach products, which range from 11 to 13. Both kinds of bleach can cause serious eye and skin damage. Why expose yourself to the risks if bleach isn’t the right product for the task?
The word bleach means to whiten or lighten colors. For decades, the chlorine kind was a laundry-day staple that helped keep white sheets white and removed stubborn stains from everything from cloth diapers to work clothes. Oxygen bleaches became popular in recent decades because they usually can attack stains without removing dye. But neither kind of bleach is an actual cleaner; for that,
One of the biggest benefits to bleach is its ability to sanitize or disinfect. (ADOBE
our grandparents used soap or detergent, just as we need to do. Soap removes sticky spills, smeared food or mud; bleach might take out the stains left once the crud is gone. Chlorine and oxygen bleaches also don’t cut through grease, unplug clogged drains or remove soap scum. Degreasers, enzyme drain cleaners and acids such as vinegar and lemon juice are better for those tasks. Of course, it’s possible to buy products, including many sold by Clorox and OxiClean, that combine a cleaner, degreaser or soap-scum buster with bleach. OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, for example, contains enzymes, a customer-service representative said. But if you just need what bleach can’t do, a bleach-free product should work fine, and you’ll be able to use it even on surfaces where bleach isn’t safe to use. Bleach has another big benefit: the ability to sanitize or disinfect. Although those words might seem synonymous, they are different. When you see them on labels, the words apply to definitions used by the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates them. Sanitizers kill bacteria, while disinfectants kill both bacteria and viruses. Some other agencies say the difference is that sanitizers reduce germs to levels that are considered safe, while disinfectants destroy or deactivate germs. Chlorine and oxygen bleaches can sanitize and disinfect, but disinfecting
might require a higher concentration or a longer dwell time. Always check labels for specific instructions for what you are trying to accomplish, then make sure the surface is one where it’s safe to use bleach. Here are some guidelines on where — and how — to use bleach.
Laundry
As long as you follow the recommendations, the Clorox company, a bleach manufacturer, says chlorine bleach is safe for cotton, polyester, nylon, acrylic and rayon — if the dye is colorfast for bleach. (Test by mixing 2 teaspoons of bleach with ¼ cup water and putting a drop or a dab from a cotton swab on a hidden part of the fabric, such as the inside face of a hem. Wait a minute, then see if the color has changed.) But never use chlorine bleach on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex, or on fabrics that contain these materials. Also avoid using oxygen bleach on these materials, with the possible exception of spandex. A garment may include a variety of fibers, so it’s best to check the label for a triangle symbol: If the triangle is empty, it’s okay to use bleach. If it’s crossed out, it isn’t. Diagonal lines across the triangle mean to use only non-chlorine bleach.
Kitchens and bathrooms
Bleach is useful for sanitizing and disinfecting in these spaces, but regular cleaning,
But neither kind of bleach is an actual cleaner; for that, our grandparents used soap or detergent, just as we need to do.
Outdoors
without bleach, is usually sufficient in a typical home. If you’ve spilled liquid from uncooked meat or have an ill family member or other high-hazard situation where you want to sanitize or disinfect, you could try a non-bleach sanitizer or disinfectant. Clorox says its Disinfecting Bleach is safe for countertops (it doesn’t list specific types) and porcelain or stainless-steel sinks if you dilute 1/3 cup of bleach in a gallon of water and leave it on the surface for 6 minutes, then rinse. Never use chlorine bleach at full strength. OxiClean makes an oxygen bleach cleaner suitable for countertops and sinks, OxiClean 3 in 1 Deep Clean Multi-Purpose Disinfectant. To disinfect, instructions say to spray it on and wait 3 minutes before wiping it off.
But companies that make stainless steel sinks, laminate countertops, stone countertops and quartz countertops offer cautions. They warn that both kinds of bleach are caustic enough to cause damage, especially if you use them at too high a concentration or leave them on too long. Chlorine bleach can be especially harmful to stainless steel because it removes the chromium oxide layer that protects the surface from rust. Oxygen bleach doesn’t pose that risk, but it should never be used on rusted metal; it could make the rust worse. Both types of bleach damage many other metals, including aluminum and copper.
Both types of bleach can remove mold and other stains from patios and many other outdoor surfaces, but it’s critical to follow the instructions. First sweep away leaves and other debris, and use a hose to rinse the pavement, siding or other surface. Also spray nearby vegetation to help dilute any bleach that splashes on the leaves. For cleaning a concrete patio, Clorox recommends mixing 1/3 cup of its Disinfecting Bleach per gallon of water in a plastic bucket. Dip a push broom into the solution, then scrub the patio. Work in sections so the concrete stays in contact with the bleach solution for 6 minutes — or 10 minutes if you are trying to remove mold and mildew stains. Then rinse. Or, if you want to spray on the cleaner, use a formula with instructions for doing that.
To clean concrete, pavers, travertine, brick, stamped concrete or composite decking with OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, follow the same prep steps but stir a scoop of OxiClean filled to Line 4 into a gallon of water, brush on, wait for 5 to 30 minutes (not so long that the solution dries), then scrub and rinse.
Clorox says its Outdoor Bleach is safe on decks that are sealed if the bleach is diluted (stir 1½ cups into a gallon of water), and the solution is left on for no more than 15 minutes. Don’t use chlorine bleach on bare wood, though. That can take out the color of the wood and damage the fibers. Oxygen bleach is safer; it removes weathered wood fibers near the surface, which helps restore the original color. But don’t use OxiClean on wood that has been sealed or stained. “It will remove the finish,” a customer-service representative said.
The Washington Post
PUBLIC AUCTION
MORTGAGEES’
MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE AT PUBLIC AUCTION
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
11:00 AM - EASTHAMPTON
5 Morin Drive
sgl fam, 966 sf liv area, 0.28 ac lot, 5 rm, 3 bdrm, 1.5 bth, Hampshire: Bk 8964, Pg 164 12:00 PM - SPRINGFIELD
59-61 Algonquin Place
2 fam, 2,510 sf liv area, 0.1 ac lot, 12 rm, 6 bdrm, 2 bth, Hampden: Bk 18229, Pg 48
1:00 PM-SPRINGFIELD
70 Massasoit Street
a/k/a 68-70 Massasoit Street
2 fam, 3,749 sf liv area, 0.1 ac lot, 14 rm, 8 bdrm, 2F/2H bth, Hampden: Bk 16241, Pg 127
NORTH CHELMSFORD (978) 251-1150 www.baystateauction.com
MAAU#: 1029, 2624, 3039, 116, 2484, 2919, 3092, 3107, 0100030, 3099
Bengal Kittens, female, TICA reg. Shots, health guar., Ware, MA, $750-$850. 413-967-4496
Maine Coon mix $50.00.
3:00 PM-SPRINGFIELD, MA 32 COTTONWOOD LANEDEPOSIT $10,000 MONDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2025
10:00 AM - BRIMFIELD, MA 238BROOKFIELDROADDEPOSIT $5,000 MONDAY MARCH 3, 2025
9:00 AM - WESTFIELD, MA 105 PROSPECT STREET EXTENSIONDEPOSIT $5,000
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