Hot & floral

We've been working our socks off (right down to vest & shorts too) in the garden and it's looking pretty good. The irises have been spectacular but are almost over, only to be replaced by roses, ceanothus, arum lilies, and bignonia campsis. The Banksia rose tree which is over 4 metres high looks magnificent too. And the 100 year old rose outside the office is as extraordinary as ever with huge creamy pink edged blooms. There are ample for us to put them in the guests' rooms.

Picnic in the vineyards

Each summer we try to encourage guests to leave their cars outside and take to the Le Couvent bikes. There are seven like this for you to borrow. There's really nothing more lovely than buying a baguette and some cheese, picking fresh tomatoes in the Le Couvent garden, packing a bottle of wine, corkscrew & glasses and peddling off into the vineyards with a good book and some factor 30.

It's officially summer

I know this because two things have happened. The cover came off the pool yesterday - it was 26 degrees, after all. And Hoxton the hen has taken up her summer sleeping position on the window-sill of the convent gallery.

The birds are singing their socks off too, and I've seen our resident hoopoe and Billy the bat several times already. Yesterday a kind person gave me four agaves. I'm delighted because, apparently, they are bats' great favourite. I hope Billy many-mates enjoys them. Ali's not to sure - she thinks agaves grow too big and look cactus-y.

Almost there

After a short, warm winter we are about to re-open for the summer - in two days' time. This is almost the busiest time of the year for us, preparing the house to look lovely for guests. Here's Poppy, my niece, re-oiling pool sunbeds. The pool isn't open for another month or so, but the sun's out and there are tans to be had.

Our forward bookings are fantastic, and it seems that many more people from Australia, Canada and the USA are preparing to travel this year. I assume our whopping increase in pre-bookings is down the the (blush) jolly nice ratings and comments previous guests have given us on TripAdvisor. To each and every one of you, a huge thank you and an even bigger hug. Come back soon eh? You've made Le Couvent, Roujan the most highly rated B&B in the Languedoc. Thank you. Of course, we now live in fear and dread of a rotten review from someone who'd like to knock us off our perch, but it's just making us work even more thoughtfully to ensure people have a good time.

The sun's out, the chimneys have been swept, the boiler's been serviced, the garden's full of irises in bloom, the bedrooms look lovely, the kitchen and hall have been redecorated, the bikes have been serviced, the new hen-chicks have arrived, the older hens are in full production. Now all we need is for the first-of-the-season guests to arrive. Roll on the summer!