How God Showed Us Our New Home

During part of our dinner conversation and Sunday, the Texans told us that they visited the most beautiful gardens - right in the middle of the city - called Crook Hall and Gardens.  On Monday, Nathan took me there for a break from the stress of trying to get settled.  As we were walking up the street, we stopped in front of a little driveway and saw this house.

"Isn't that the most beautiful English house?" he said to me.  "We should knock on the door and ask them if they'll rent a place out to us."  

After having read some about English culture (Kate Fox's book, Watching the English, has been a fascinating read), I made myself the authority on the subject and asserted that it was definitely NOT okay to just walk up to someone's house and knock on the door.  I huffed a little huff and rolled my eyes and said, "I just want to see the gardens.  Let's get on with it!"  Boy, am I ever going to regret that.

The gardens themselves were just gorgeous, as you can tell just a bit from the pictures below.  The house, built in the 13th century (I think), was also really cool.  It was renovated in the 16th century as well.  There's a breathtaking view of the Durham skyline from the property.  It's amazing that it's that close to everything while giving visitors the feeling of being out on an English manor somewhere in the countryside.

Sweet peas... one of my favorite flowers!

After touring the gardens, we had some tea and scones on the patio.  In the window of the nearby building we saw a flyer about a converted barn for rent.  The owner of Crook Hall and Gardens popped out of the office and said, "You're not interested in the place are you?"  Before we could refuse because of the somewhat high price, he said, "I'll just go and get the key," and dashed off.  Well, this is what we saw just next door.

It's called the North Barn, and it's owned by the folks in the house just behind it.  It was converted from a working barn into a mother-in-law suite about 15 years ago, and it's so charming and beautiful and lovely and all kinds of English words you must use on this little place.  The floor plan is very similar to the barn we stayed in on the farm: one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen and living/dining area, and a loft.  After discovering that it came with absolutely everything (all furniture, dishes, cookware, ironing board, washer/dryer, etc.) the price wasn't looking so high after all.  We also got 20 pounds knocked off the price because we wouldn't be using a parking space.

Here's a view pretty much straight on.

Our very next door neighbor will be the White Lady, who haunts Crook Hall supposedly, and all the beautiful grounds and gardens.  It happens to be up the very driveway where Nathan wanted to stop before we came to the gardens - the one whose door he wanted to knock on to ask if there was a place to rent.  He has yet to let me live it down every time we pass that spot on the driveway.  Anyway, now that we know where we'll be for at least the next 12 months, you absolutely must come and visit.  I've been told that we may be getting season passes to the garden. :)