THE DOWAGER DUCHESS AND A VILLAGE FETE

We had seen the signs and couldn't believe our luck.  A village fete!  In Edensor! Where the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire (Deborah Mitford Cavendish) lives. The stars had aligned and we could attend.  I'm smiling right now just thinking about it.

                                            Edensor is pronounced "Ensor" just so you know.
                                          Fete is pronounced "fate", but you already knew that.

                             
                                 We paid our four pounds, and walked into our first village fete.

                                      You will notice the change in the skies in these pictures.
           Depending upon the direction, bright blue skies or dark brooding clouds or blah, blah gray.

           Festive flags fluttering above--this summer the whole of England was covered in flags.

                                                                Happy and content.

     
                                                    The first private home garden we toured.

                           We toured so many gardens in this tiny village and loved them all.

                                       Yep, that's a bronzed dog keeping guard on the roof.

                                     Have we come upon Middle Earth? Is that Gandalf taking a rest?

                                                 No, darn, just a gentleman and his dog.

                     The magical pathway to the house, or The House.  You-know-who lives there.

                                                  Oh, this is exciting.  Our first peek.

                                                  Yes, the house in all its glory.
           The home of the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, Deborah Mitford Cavendish.
                                                            I am besotted.

                 Inside that gorgeous blue front door is an apple green entrance hall (see below).

                                              Yes, I saved my copy--I'm sure you did, too.

          I took so many pictures of her home, I am surprised security wasn't called to drag me away.

   As much as I loved Chatsworth, if given the choice (you know, when I close my eyes and all of my  dreams come true) I would much prefer to live in this house.

              The duchess can just walk out her door, round the corner and head to church.

                                         Just in case you wanted to see the garage door.

          This is the chicken coop near her home--the fencing just adds to the beauty of the estate.

   I'm not 100% sure, but this may be her personal garden. Look at those gorgeous terra cotta cloches.

These people kill me--this is not a set, but a real life vicarage with the empty milk bottles waiting to be picked up.  I have got to move.

Well, we've stayed so long that the villagers think we now look familiar to them or they are starting to become suspicious.  Time to start heading back to reality that, no, we don't live here and would have to be an employee on the estate of Chatsworth to make it even a possibility.  Hmmm, I will have a change in employment next year.  Something to think about.

      We will miss the stone, the church, the blue painted gates, the beautifully tended gardens, and the dowager's quintessential english country home.

                                                               Hasn't it all been grand?