My Big Fat Bed & Breakfast

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in Hermann!!! Lots of fun. Lots of guests. Great weather, beautiful color. The harvest of grapes has already occurred this year because it has been so dry. But we celebrate the harvest, the changing of the seasons, the cooler weather during Oktoberfest. We are busy almost everyday with guests coming and going and going and coming and celebrating... Everyone is in a great mood, ready to party and have a fun time!

This would be a great time to have more people here working, there's so much cleaning and cooking. I enjoy being busy and providing people with a quiet respite and beautiful setting. The longer we are open, the more and more busy we get! Thanks to all for being so supporting and for making referrals to your friends and family. I've got 1 more bed to make so better get to it...Yeah! I love OKTOBERFEST!

Falling Gold!

Having fun now! Oktoberfest is here! Busy, busy... Just hope everyone is nice and respectful and has fun!!! The weather is fine...not too hot or cold. We are surrounded by 1000s of leaves on the trees just starting to turn yellow, orange and red!!

Our B&B, surrounded by 20, tall, old Black Walnut trees is superb! Black Walnut tree leaves are small, turn yellow, and fall 1 by 1! When the wind gives a good blowing, the leaves playfully flicker down and it seems like snow fluries of leaves. If the sun is out, the yellow leaves catch it's light and as they tumble and sway to the ground way below, it sometimes it feels like it's raining gold ! I wish. A lot!!! It's not. But I still am in awe of the beauty around me. Hermann is a beautiful land and must be charished & cared for thoughtfully.

Back to making chocolate tarts for our guests...

Website modifications

One continous task of the Innkeeper is to periodically update thier website and make modifications where needed. Sometimes the rooms get new beddings or furniture. Sometimes they get rearranged or the seasons change and the light hits the rooms to create a welcomming setting. These need to be photographed and changed on the website, so as to accurately portrait what guests will see when they actually walk into the rooms.

Sometimes, Innkeepers learn from guest feedback about changes that need to occur. If you keep getting the same questions over & over again from guests, it's time to address this question on your website to make things easier for all. For example, we are located in a small rural village and we were assigned a rural postal route address in order to obtain our mail. Well...if you use our postal route adress in mapquest or such...you'll not get here!!! AH!!! That really is terrible if you are a guest who wants to get to their lodging but can't find the place. Now, we do have a directions and map page on our website, but people don't always use it. So now, on our website and in our confirmations we explain the directions ect.

Each time I come up with a new package, we have to update the website at well. Same with specials. Anyway, I feel fairly updated with my website modifications for not. I love our website and get many many people who say the same. This is a fun task, like creating a painting or sculpture...it's one of the many areas where attention to detail and asthetics is needed in the running of a B and B. Check out our website at www.alpenhorngasthaus.com and let us me know what you think.

Catching up on a hot day

Today is a day for playing catch-up with laundry, room cleaning, shopping, booking and confirming reservations. I even have time today to work on some print advertising. No guests are checking in but the weather is about 110 so I think most people should stay home and stay cool. This weekend we're expecting a busy one, so I hope it cools off a bit! My poor kitties just lay stretched out on the cool bricks or concrete to stay cool. The sheep don't seem to mind the heat. Maybe I'll go down to the wine cellar and work on some art. It's always 55 degrees down there and most chores up here are under control! YEAH!!

This mornings' Breakfast was a celebration!!! Mimossas of fresh squeezed oranges...a splash of Italian Sparkling...The ooos...and ahs....the photo shoot of the Ultimate French Toast...looking teasingly scrumptous served on warmed plates with a topping of fresh sliced peaches, black, blue and strawberries, toasted almond slivers, a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a fresh picked mint sprig. I'm hungry just writing about it! (I never got time this morning and now....the leftover is not lookin' too pretty). What a day to be a B and B owner in beautiful Hermann, MO!!

A misty morning...dew hangs on each surface for examples the tree leaves sparkle with small wet diamonds or rainbows, shiney and sweating rocks sparkle and spider webs are outlined with morning crystals detailing all the intricate work of the night before....awesome!! I sneak out to pick fresh flowers for the breakfast table. It's hot! and humid already and it's only 6:am. My kitties are hungry anyway, so I give then a scoop of chow. A beautiful flowering white hydrangia bush spies my eye. Along with some long sprigs of fresh peppermint and a few verigated grasses make for a pretty summer centerpiece. Back to the kitchen...lots of calls to return...laundry...guests...