Dan Antion

Tools-to-Farm & Park – #ThursdayDoors

These houses are on the original main street in Enfield, about 1/2 mil (1km) from the Connecticut River, and date from a time when river-based commerce was important.

Last week, I needed to go shopping. That’s a new experience. This wasn’t grocery shopping or shopping in any establishment deemed essential by our state government. This was shopping at WoodCraft, a woodworking tool store – 100% non-essential…according to some. However, to a guy planning to renovate a workshop, this stuff is pretty much essential in my book.

Between the Internet, some well-designed systems and a store manager who was bound and determined to help, we got the job done. I found the things I wanted. I was able to check the inventory in the store. I emailed the manager. He filled the order, and when I pulled up in front of his store, he loaded the stuff into my car. Easy-peasy.

The WoodCraft store is in West Springfield, Massachusetts. On my way home, I was planning to stop at our local dairy farm in Enfield, Connecticut. On the way south toward the farm, I drove through the Enfield Historic District. Since there was almost no traffic on the road, I was able to pull over and snap a few photos. This isn’t a complete inventory of the district, but I was able to get pictures of a few interesting doors.

I also captured a couple of doors at Maddie’s park. They are plain vanilla boring doors, but I’ve never seen either one of them open, so I was happy.

Thursday Doors is a weekly blog hop organized by Norm Frampton. Each week, Norm puts out the call to door aficionados around the world to share their favorite doors via his blog. During these weeks of crisis and lockdown, Norm has continued manage this fun-filled weekly endeavor in order that we may benefit from the spirit that permeates this community. No need to fear contamination. If you were to be infected by Thursday Door Fever, you might come to enjoy the affliction as much as I do. If you want to see this week’s door, please visit Norm’s blog.

It’s always locked, anyway.
Not the most interesting building, but I’ve always wanted to know what it was for. Maintenance equipment and power control for the field lights.
WoodCraft is in a fairly large strip mall – it was nearly empty,
I had to wait for my order. It was harder than it looks. I so wanted to go in and browse.
This worked well.
I like the enclosed porch on the left.
I love the tall chimneys
These houses are on the original main street in Enfield, about 1/2 mil (1km) from the Connecticut River, and date from a time when river-based commerce was important.
Gotta love that porch.
We don’t see tiled roofs in this area very often.
Sorry about the tree. I was stopped behind a tree service crew.
The porch appears to be a little off-center, but I think it;s the angle of the picture.
Loving that porch
This is the US Post Office that serves the historic district.
That’s my moo. 1qt whole milk. 1 qt chocolate and a dozen eggs.

75 comments

    • Unlike the houses in other nearby historic districts, these are set far from the road. You could sit out there and enjoy relative peace and quiet as the sun rises or sets. Alas, our house is much much more modest. Oh well.

      Take care, Joanne, stay safe and stay healthy.

      Liked by 1 person

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  2. Dan, you’re spoiling us. Those doors are largely attached to some pretty spectacular property porn. You see, all clouds have silver linings. If the traffic was normal, you wouldn’t have been able to stop and photograph them. Good luck with the renovation project.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. The doors are great, but those houses…. I would give anything to have one of those porches!!!

    But right now I’m having trouble containing my excitement… today, after another week of quarantine, I have to put out the garbage and I can’t decide what to wear!!

    Liked by 3 people

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  6. You captured some nice doors here. I especially like the ‘rust’ colored one on the yellow/pale gold house. Beautiful combination.

    These homes are the stars today. The majestic white home with a sun porch on each side is awesome. And I want ALL the porches!

    Glad you found a way to get the needed supplies for the upcoming workshop restoration. What a good feeling that must be! I know you must be excited to get started. I hope Maddie has been resting up because she will have a lot of inspecting to do!!

    Hope you and the Editor and Faith continue to stay well and safe.
    🐾Ginger 🐾

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Ginger, I hope you’re staying safe as well.

      The renovations will be inside. Maddie doesn’t go in the shop. She might peek in from the workshop deck her porch while sitting, if I leave the door open.

      Those homes are the stars, for sure. I’ve long wanted to capture a few of them, but it’s normally a busy road.

      The main item I wanted to get was a dust collector. I need to experiment with it to see if I can mount it the way I hope. In any case, it feels good to have the stuff before they decide contact-less-shopping isn’t working for them.

      Take care, pats to Murphy from the M-girls.

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  8. Hi Dan – grand houses … how lucky that you could take that opportunity to stop and take photos. So glad you were able to get what you wanted from the store – good organisation all round. Enjoy the renovation/s … I’m sure Maddie won’t mind if her doors are cream and dull, or multi-coloured … can dogs see colours? Take care – Hilary

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    • I think Maddie sees colors about as well as I do, Hilary. As long as the door opens to go outside, she’s happy.

      I was glad to be able to snag these pictures. Hopefully, it won’t be long before the road is too busy for photos, again.

      Take care.

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  10. I can’t help but admire all of those grand old homes. Each one has it’s own style and so many unique features – just beautiful.
    Having worked for a few different power tool manufacturers who sold to the Woodcraft chain I’m pretty sure I’ve visited that franchise store a number of times over the years. They have a lot of loyal customers in that area and for good reasons. Also in your area, and I’m not sure it I asked you before, but have you ever done business with Brian’s Tools in Enfield?

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    • They are beautiful unique homes, Norm.

      This Woodcraft store does seem to have a loyal following. The people in the store are so helpful. It’s where I bought the slabs for both coffee tables I made. They have a very nice slab in the window – I almost had them chuck it in the car.

      Brian’s Tools – wow, that takes me back. I bought from them when I owned my cabinet shop. I haven’t dealt with them in years. The last time I did was to buy a replacement bearing for an old Delta power miter box (a 9″ saw, which will give you an idea of the age). I was getting ready to see if I can get a replacement tension roller for an old Rockwell 1″ sander/grinder.

      The other tool store I’ve used is Coastal Tool in West Hartford.

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  11. Houses like this….be still, my heart. That enclosed porch….so gorgeous. I wonder if people like that know that people like us wanna see the inside? Next post: Norm’s Open Doors. :D

    Liked by 1 person

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    • We can still get takeout, Roberta, and businesses that have had to close can still serve customers as long as none are in the store at any time. It’s a weird way to shop, but I was able to get the things I needed. We’re not really going beyond the food and medical stuff, and the rules are getting tighter and tighter.

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  16. My neighborhood has hit the lumber/hardware stores a number of times already. He has to have a project otherwise he says he’ll go nuts! I guess that’s why they’re considered essential businesses.

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. Dan, my daughter, husband and family just put an offer on a home here in Cheyenne, built in 1918.  If it comes through, I’ll take some pics! Stay well!😊

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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  19. Sigh… What gorgeous homes… Thanks for the tour, Dan. It sounds like it was a good day. Great service from the WoodCraft folks too! That’s always nice to hear. Seeing footage or photos of the empty malls is so surreal. Have a peaceful evening. Hugs!

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    • Thanks Teagan. The empty strip mall was very much like a scene out of the Twilight Zone (“Where is Everybody”) – a little unsettling.

      These houses are beautiful. I’ve admired them for years.

      Take care.

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  24. You can’t go in the store, but the very nice people who own the farm take your order, bring you your stuff and take the payment. It works well, and their milk is worth more than a little extra time.

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  26. Beautiful homes. I loved the ‘Loving that porch’ caption home. At my sisters they have that kind of porch and I used to sleep in the afternoon on that porch with her German shepherd ‘Sunny’. I miss him so much, but I play around with other local street dogs. These days they don’t get much food because of the lockdown situation. So, I and Sarah hunt for more biscuits and offer them something to eat. When they see me walking down the street they just gather around us and that is something I love to experience in these hard times.

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  27. Nice! I wanna go to the Milk n More store, too :)
    I read that building materials stores are essential here, no misdemeanor for us. No wood working, either tho ;)

    Liked by 1 person

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  29. How lucky you were to get these photos. Thank you C-virus situation, lack of traffic, and your roundabout trip. The porches and pillars are stunning, not what I expected in New England. I had no idea Endfield had these remarkable homes. Thank you, Dan.

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  30. Nice collection! Does the dairy have curbside service, too? Just pull up, and cow comes out and you milk her? Pretty convenient! Of course, the cow doesn’t come out until you … wait for it … honk your horn.

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    • Hahaha – No, the cows don’t really give a moo what you want. The dairy does have milk trucks that do home delivery. Right now, you walk up to the table, place your order and they bring it out to you. It’s pretty convenient.

      Liked by 1 person

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