@Gillian166
Gill I just loved that 4 poster bed that you posted on @Jenny 's favourite piece of furniture thread but when I saw those fabric drapes....I knew just what was going on here.
As beautiful as that 4 poster looks there is a practical side to that fabric.
You and I host in a 'near city' country environment and hosting in the country means you have to deal with nature in all it's forms.
I am sure you will correct me if I am wrong but those drapes are in fact mosquito netting which keeps the odd mossie from disturbing guests night time slumber. You just do it in a far more elegant way than I do it Gill!
But hosting in the country means you are forever having a battle keeping wildlife from taking over!
I had a guest stay for 5 nights and on the morning of their departure I casually asked them how their stay had gone and the both of them said, it had been great....."Oh, there was just one thing, last night in the middle of the night we heard this scraping noise, and when we turned the lights on there was a possum on the kitchen bench eating fruit in the fruit bowl. We herded it into the bathroom and let it outside this morning" !
How in the hell it got in there God only knows but, nothing is as tenacious as a possum on a mission!
I felt like bloody Basil Fawltey in that 'hamster' sketch, but I had to make a comment so I said to them...."There is an extra charge for wildlife entertainment you know"!
We all had a laugh and parted happy!
But I never cook on the barbecue without using a barbecue mat......you never know what has dined on the hot plate since you last used it!
But many of our guests come because of that wildlife and no matter what the time of year, like you, we give them the warmest Adelaide Hills welcome possible.
We are currently in Autumn so here is our Autumn welcome......
Cheers.......Rob