Martha Stewart: Don't let squeaks drive you off your rocker

Dear Martha: Is there any way to keep an antique rocking chair from squeaking?

A: Squeaks are a natural part of the aging process with all wooden furniture. As the materials swell and contract over time, joints loosen, which in turn causes the wooden pieces to rub together and produce an unpleasant noise. Squeaking tends to get a bit louder during the winter months, when wood is contracting and joints are at their loosest.

Fortunately, there's a quick fix for the problem. It involves applying a coat of wood-swelling solvent (available at most hardware stores) to the chair's joints. The solvent will cause the wooden pieces to expand and form a secure bond. Also, wax furniture once a year to help prevent wood from drying out. Any paste wax will do, but try to match it with the color of your wood.

Finally, rocking chairs always make less noise when they're used on soft surfaces, as opposed to hardwood floors. An area rug, for example, will serve as a buffer between the wooden surfaces. Alternatively, hardware stores sell felt strips that can be inconspicuously adhered to the bottom of the chair's rockers.

Dear Martha: I'm in the market for a refrigerator. Are there any new features or technologies I should know about?

A: One important thing to look for is an Energy Star label, which indicates that the refrigerator exceeds the government's minimum requirements for energy efficiency.

Beyond that, the options are more a matter of preference. For example, you'll find units with three- and even four-door configurations, instead of the traditional two. In some cases, the compartments can be converted from "fresh" to "freeze," depending upon how much refrigerator and freezer space you need. There are also units with interior chambers that will chill a bottled beverage or freeze a package of raw meat in half the time.

Digital controls are everywhere. You'll even find ones that let you program the water dispenser to provide exact amounts, whether 10 ounces or 10 cups, without reaching for a measuring device.

From a design perspective, you may want to consider buying a counter-depth refrigerator. It has a sleeker, more streamlined profile than units that extend a few inches past the edge of the countertop.

Dear Martha: How can I make prints of pictures taken with a cell phone?

A: Some models work with a removable memory card, which you purchase separately (along with an adapter) and insert into your phone. When you're ready to print images stored on the card, simply remove the card, slip it into the adapter, and insert the adapter into a store kiosk, your home printer or the card reader on your computer.

Many mobile phones have e-mail capability, which lets you send images to your computer. Other phones come with a USB cable that can be plugged into a printer or a computer to transfer images. Finally, if your phone and your computer or printer have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology, you can use it to beam images to print. *

Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036. Questions may also be sent by electronic mail to: mslletters@marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number.