YOU ARE SO BRAVE !! A bat and now a live fish?? Nothing stops you! Proud of you!! 😊

My mum used to toast bread in the broiler of the oven. You have to turn it and watch it carefully. There were a lot of us. I thought you were very brave about the fish. I’d be the same way. You never give up!

How practical and kind for the neighbours to supply you with the jams. What an honour to be given very fresh fish! What a luxury. There is a lot for you to get used to. 😅

Karen, I am loving your journey, particularly all the new things you’re learning…..all done with a great attitude. Congratulations. I particularly like the addition of the map

Karen - you are a fish prep rock star!!! Way to go! Couple things sharing my unsolicited opinions with you: 1. Add hard boiled eggs to your breakfast option. Then you have a protein option for those who can't eat yogurt. Eggs when served in a cold dish last for days in the fridge. Economic option & adds a lot to your offerings. 2. As a lifelong gardener, I suggest you focus on perennial plants/flowers & bulbs in your front beds. That way you just have to maintain them & not be "replanting" over & over. Once you have the beds established, then you can move to add annuals. There are SO many great gardening books to turn to. I can make a few suggestions if you need advice/help. 3. It would be worth connecting to AirBnB too. They definitely have the corner on the market for US travelers booking in Europe. 4. I often listen to your episodes while working. It would be helpful if you read the questions in between sections aloud. I'm not always able to look up to my screen when you make video transitions to follow along. Also, larger font size on the written questions. I watch from my phone vertically & they are so tiny you can hardly make them out. It's exciting see you making slow & steady progress on your castle! We are devoted followers as we hope to end up in France in the next couple years. You guys are an inspiration! Sending positive best wishes & support across the miles from the Pacific Northwest. USA. ❤

For that front garden you should put some shrubs that stay green all year long like boxwood. If you have them there in France, they are very easy and stay green all year long maybe some wild roses bushes. They are so fragrant some lavender as well plant perennials they come up every year And plant at different times so that you always have colours and blooming in your garden 👍🥂💐

You should look into the cereal dispenser that you twist the knob and the portion comes down out of the container. They had them at several places we stayed in Europe during our 6 yrs living there. Keeps it fresh and you don’t have people’s hands in it. Also a bowl that can hold ice and slip the yogurt into it to keep chilled.

Your peonies are looking wonderful just let them be, and they’ll do their magic move some of those rosebushes from the side of the building to your front garden👍🥂💐 don’t forget to water Plant some irises as well. Big ones and little ones. The big ones are absolutely stunning and are showstoppers.

Regarding your new vases - on the last Chateau Diaries Philip told Marie to put short bouquets on the dining table so people could see each other to speak etc and he provided her with similar vases to the ones you just bought for the rooms. It might be a good idea to put the tall vases in the guest rooms and to make a row of flowers with the clear vases on the dining table. You would have a bouquet for the extra table too. Just a silly suggestion- it looks fine the way it is too.⭐️😄❤️👏🏻

Your braver than me I couldn’t kill the fish! I would starve🤣🤣🤣 your doing great and it’s all a learning curve Karen. Well done.

I would love to see roses, lavendar and hydrangeas in your flower beds. Beautiful cut flowers.

You might consider planting a beautiful hedge in that garden. Low maintenance and always looks great!

I’ve used the cardboard method. You put the cardboard down, wet it, and then add soil. It really does keep the weeds down.

Gardening is so much about learning from your mistakes. You are just learning on a large scale. I’ve been gardening for over 20 years and still sometimes plant something in the wrong place.

In addition to your peonies, I suggest you plant hardy things such as roses, irises, lavender, rosemary, salvia, erigeron, catmint, convolvulus cneorum, penstemon, Russian sage and a few clumps of your tulip and muscari bulbs. These plants do well in warm climates and will do even better if you dig lots of organic matter into your soil before you lay the wet newspaper or cardboard. Top this with soil and straw.

Oh gosh Karen you are amazing ! I could not have dealt with that fish ! Glad you found Emmaus as I’m sure you will find lots of things for the weddings and the B&B there while you build your business. Choose a neutral colour scheme that works with any brides colour choices for your borders - colour can then be added with cut flowers / pots as appropriate. Invest in some weed control fabric before you plant with long flowering shrubs - roses, lavender for scent near paths or walkways, any flowering shrub with pale or white blossom then different evergreen shrubs then top with gravel to hide the fabric - it will be an investment but once done the maintenance will be reduced for you. I so look forward to your vlogs - well done you x

Sorry me again, i am a landscape designer in South Africa so im not very sure about planting in France where the weather is much colder but because of the symmetry of the building the garden would need to reflect that, formal gardens were what they had in the time that this chateau was built so i would consider doing a more formal planting and definitely add more compost to your soil- you can never have enough compost (and you can make your own)

Plant beautiful annuals in the planters that you can change out once or twice so that they always look gorgeous. Or slow- growing pyramidal spruce trees to match the hedge which you can put Christmas lights on❣️Use portable potted plants for flowers for weddings❣️

Karen I admire you! you have overcome yourself and have ascended to a new level

I’m sorry but watching you do the fish was funny! Thanks for taking us along!😊

You can toast the bread on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and just slot the bread slices into the oven rack to hold them up sideways

Just wondering, why do you not warm the pastry 🥐 and put a 4 slice toaster in the dining room for the guests to cook their own toast when they come down, so there is no cold soggy toast but fresh warm toast when they do it themselves? Love your vlogs ❤

With the cardboard, once you have added the soil, compost mix you can plant into it, however it depends what you want to plant. Roses need an 18inch depends by 18inch across hole so need to be done before the cardboard is put down. It will suppress weeds but not eliminate completely so you will still need to weedbut it will be easier. I would densely plant the beds and cover with compost or wood chip . It would be worth buying a chipper chopper to save money as you can use your own pruning to create wood chip and keep everything tidy as well.

What about a griddle and make pan cakes? Leave tulip bulbs in ground they will re-populate due the are perennials. Always plant perennials less work less money. Just do baskets of fresh annual flowers to hang.

Bravo for you for tackling that fish! I know the tacos were good! You cracked me up with your whooping and hollering! Bless you,,,,,feel the fear and do it anyway! Well done! Cheers!

Keep up the great job on posting stories love it.

Sorry Karen but I had a serious chuckle over the fish incident, you did it and did a fairly good job of filleting the fish. You now live in the country whole new world of animal husbandry. So fun to watch all the new experiences, so brave to share with us.

Looking great after the weeding, I leave my bulbs in

Oh my gosh Karen, I screamed and jumped right along with you watching the jumping fish....aaahhh!!! Congratulations on using the hammer! I don't envy you having to dig up all those tulip bulbs from dry earth...maybe soak the area and it would be easier? Congratulations on becoming approved for Bed and Breakfast. You are so lovely to follow around on your beautiful estate.

Hi everyone. Congratulations to your Siret number. I went to see the caves of Gouffre de Padirac as you recommended and thanks for that really amazing experience. I really enjoyed driving around your neighbourhood and I will be back for sure. Best regards from a swed in France

Put a rimmed baking sheet on a rack in the oven with the two racks next to eachother. Place sliced bread in the oven rack slots, resting on the baking sheet. You can then toast a large amount of bread without the toaster. I agree with the hard boiled egg option, being dairy free, it would give an option. A gluten free option, having hashimotos, would be helpful also.

Bonjour Karen, you are a better neighbor than I am, I could have never killed the fish, I would have returned it to the river. The cardboard method does work, at least I have seen other people do it, and have had success. The dining rooms looks so beautiful. The tulip garden looks amazing, nice job on it. Everything is coming together nicely, I haven't been receiving notification from your channel, so I went straight to it and found this, and I also missed the Bat episode, that I am going to watch next. Thanks for sharing with us. Love from N.Y.

Gardening is a learning curve, you will get there! I use the cardboard method too, lay it on the ground, cover with a good amount of composted bark mulch. Cut holes into the cardboard where you want to plant shrubs, perennials, annuals. You will be weed free for a couple of seasons, repeat the process, add more cardboard and mulch. Your breakfast update is the normal format, looks great. Have you hired any help with cleaning or laundry?

Put annuals in the pots, instant color and design you use and change every year. Lots of color an will last all season! Go to the nursery for different perennials and perhaps butterfly bush or two for your front. They are a wealth of I formation.

For future planting in the front garden, who not go with roses.....mases and masses of roses. The peonies could be moved to the front of that garden where the tulips were. As for weed control, put down a fabric barrier and cover it in mulch from the garden center......the fabric barrier will control the weeds and the bark mulch will cover the fabric.....making it all look nice. Cheers!

As a gardener, I always use cardboard to lose grass/act as a mulch. You could put the cardboard down (you could dampen it if you want... that way it forms more to the surface) where the hay was and then put the hay on top of it to hide it. Good luck! We were in Rocamadour this May and loved that area.... now we know you are around there too. Thanks for showing us the nearby villages and things to do in your area. It's such a pretty region! Maybe we'll be fortune to stay at your place on our next trip.

Karen you amaze me. You take every challenge head on. Thank you for sharing your journey. Great job.

You can plant around your bulbs

I totally get it, I couldn’t do it for sure. When I was young I did easily but now? Nope. You are a brave lady

The cardboard method works, it kills the weeds and it will breakdown eventually..wet the cardboard cover with potting/topsoil and plant.

your adventure is a learning process.

The breakfast is looking nice and tasty!

Nice update on the flowers!

I need a bike room! 3 electric bikes and 6 manpower bikes!❤️.

Hi Karen. If you put two slices of toast in each side you can flip them inside out for a second time so you get four warm toast slices a once. If you have a lot of people eating at the same time, you can prepare them one side in advance and finish the four at the time the people are there…. Love your channel always some fun stuff in it.

It’s nice to leave bunches of small among bushes.Hostas are overwintering so put them where you need the big bushes where you want and you can divide them. I live inSouthern Canada,Ontario. So our weather is similar .

I think whoever told you abut putting hay in the garden as mulch, must have meant STRAW. Clearly a difference. 👌

I have stayed in a small boutique hotel in Saltzburg and they had one of those toast making machines with a rolling grill. You put the bread in at the back and it comes out the front. There was always time to get some other item off the smorgasbord while the toast was being cooked.

The eggshell adds calcium. An alternative is Gypsum and is easier to apply in a greater quantity. And does the same thing.

You definitely need some pine straw or bark, when I saw you spread that hay I thought "uh oh". If you had a wood chipper? You could mulch up some of the downed trees and make some? Im sure there are plenty of google searches to list Summer blooming annuals and perennials for your zone. Here lantana is big favorite because it is also drought resistant.

You definitely need different layers and heights of plants. Evergreen large bushes in the back, then another shorter layer of evergreens with flowers, perennials, annuals and you can have tulips etc spotted in also in bunches.

We, have had peony bushes for over 60 years. Every fall we chop down the stalks. The peony’s come up in the spring from the roots.

Paint the iron beams (after getting the rust off) to protect them and make them look better.

Dont know if any one has mentioned it yet but leaf curl is treatable with the fungicide spray when the leaf buds are just starting to appear.. Once it is on the leaves when they are open it is usually too late to spray.. But good luck and next year you will be on top of it.. 😊

You can plant the tulips well under trees. I often level the ground and fairly clear weeds. Then I put cardboard on the plant beds. And make a hole where the plants will be or put cardboard around the existing plants. Cardboard overlapping is not a problem. On top of that I put compost mixed with leaves. Then a layer of good garden soil. It is good for soil life + weed free.

Lol on the fish. Call your neighbor. Club fish on head.

Lantana are forever blooming flowering perennial plants I believe will work for you in France. I live in Mid-Atlantic USA Chesapeake Bay & Lantana flourishes here for months - thru mid-Dec. They are low maintenance once established & will expand when in right condition ( 4-6 hours sun). Check them out.

You are brave! I could not have dealt with that fish!

You’re amazing! You really are!!

Hi Karen I’d love to see some tripods with climbing roses growing up them in your front beds It would give height and they love the sun. Maybe plant sun loving largeish shrubs too to fill the space so less room for the weeds Great vlog. Thank you Caroline

There’s a difference between hay and straw for mulching. Straw doesn’t have weeds seeds in it like hay! Too bad you don’t have a gardener who knows plants, knows what he or she is doing!

Standard roses would look lovely below the terrace.

Gardening is a joy but does come with its disappointments also. These days, the internet is filled with gardening tips. The fish was funny. I can be Squamish at times, too. I think it was a good idea to extend your breakfast menu slightly. I am happy you got your business number. Hope you have a prosperous season.❤

Not hay but straw, I love using cardboard myself completely cover area wet well then core in mulch works 👍

I have used newspaper to control weeds. Lay newspaper, dampen it and lay wood mulch on top. Works great.

Love the opening to your channel! The music and aerial shots put a smile on my face every time😊. Now that you’ve mastered filleting a fish, it’s time to pick up a pole and catch one. I laughed at this episode and was SO proud of you completing the task. As for the terrace gardens, it was heartbreaking to see the weeds take over again. Try the wet cardboard process. You Tuber Laura on Garden Answer (based in eastern Oregon) showed that it works and it’s less expensive and physically demanding. I always get inspired to dig in the dirt watching her and learn a thing or two ( like the cardboard trick) even if my area doesn’t support particular plant choices. Looking forward to sharing in the many adventures awaiting you both in the future. Warm regards.

The same thing happened to Stephanie‘s peach trees at LaLande only she hasn’t treated them. Hopefully her mother will take care of then.

You ar so brave! The bat and now th fish. Both would havefreked me out!

I so admire how you continue to take on new things no matter how squeamish. The bat was really brave of you. By the way, I have used cardboard, compost and/or mulch for years. The only place that weeds appear is in-between the cracks of the cardboard or if seeds from trees above should fall on the fresh mulch. Annuals or a boxwood in the pots would work best to replace your spring bulbs. Red Geraniums would work great! Very French.

I really appreciate your vlog. Peony is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable. Pee uh nee. Emmaus is Emma oos. I appreciate your vulnerability in sharing about the development of your business. I Hope you can afford to get some help someday. This is so much to do by yourself!!

You Are So Brave With The Bats 🦇And Now With The Poor Live Fish 🐟Sorry Karen I Could Not Kill The Fish I Would Put The Fish 🐟Back In The Water 💦 we Did Live In The Country On A Farm We Had A Good Life Thankyou For Sharing Karen & Bo 💕🦇🐟💐

everything is a learning curve , you doing very very well 🥰💪 Grts Yves

About the fish, you are braver than me! When you had talked about someone recommending mulching with hay, i thought you must have been talking about straw since many non-farmers use the terms interchangeably. Guess how i know it's bad news to use hay? It was decades ago but ill never forget hay growing everywhere. You may consider getting a gas weed burner to get rid of weeds in your patio. The cardboard method works, but it looks better with wood chips hiding it. Overlap the seams between cardboard pieces to keep weeds from squeezing between. The roses seem to be non-grafted types since they came back. They are easy to propagate from cuttings. If they're not wild roses, they can bloom a long time. I have perennial salvias & geraniums that bloom most of the summer, but my climate may be milder than yours (California bay area).

You're braver than I am, when it comes to dealing with the fish!! 😂

Can you employ a gardener to advise you of what plants are best and when to plant for your garden? I guess evergreen plants would stay around all year round so the front of your chateau looks lush all year round. Such a big job, must be daunting. Love your chanel😊

We are house hunting in France at the end of June. We’re staying in Bergerac, so maybe a little too far from you, but hope to pop in one day to say hello 🙂

I'm impressed at your bravery, I would have chucked the live fish back in our river!! but....when in France ....you have to get used to neighbours bringing you bits of wildlife... we often get gifts I am a bit wary of, like boar and venison but , if you ask how to deal with it , they are very helpful LOL x

I don't blame you for being squemish when recieving the live fish from your neighbor. I very much dislike filleting fish. Glad all went well with the large crowd at the Chateau! 😊❤

Have you tried making oven toast. I feel it has a better flavor. Full oven shelf of bread, watch broil a few min, turn broil the other side. Can then brush with butter or serve dry.

Omg you are amazing....I could not have done that! Perhaps some geraniums?

You could also cut off the bottom branches of your peach tree so it grows up and not sideways

Hard boiled eggs, or soft boiled eggs. Virginia Ham or Bangers

I agree fully with Michelle. Oh my dear!! I nearly had a heart attack when that fish jumped nearly out of the sink. We had such a laugh. You are so brave. Don't you do cheeses as well? Those delicious cheese of France? Or is it also a matter of price? I remember once when we slept at a place the breakfast goodies they gave us in the room in the fridge was "included " and if we wanted an English breakfast we had to pay extra for breakfast and order it for a certain time. That was quite nice and waste management was excellent. IN the rooms we got yoghurt, muesli and another cereal wrapped each as a packet with a separate fruit bowl, a breakfast bar and I think a bunn/croissants also wrapped in fancy plastic to keep it fresh, not so sure if the bread was at that place. We buy them in the shops like that. I think you do great with the breakfast. Love your vlog. Take care.NS What about a mix flower bed in front of your chateau? I don't think they are low maintenance? But beautiful and always flowers?

A filled knife helps with preparation of fish

Watching the vlogs one thing becomes clear, as hard working as you and Bo are, you need help. You can't possibly run the inside alone and keep the outside beautiful too. Bo isn't there full time so you need some help. I know you are trying to keep costs down and build a business but if I come to a Chateau I want to see beautifully manicured lawns and lavish bedrooms. You are definitely heading in the right direction. You both are so brave to take on such a huge project.

Cardboard or newspaper, wet it and put mulch or soil, that will do the job

Why don't you buy the 4 slice toaster for large groups. You can also get toasters that have a warming rack that sits on top. You make me laugh with all these "learning challenges". I could never do the live fish thing. Well done you👋

Roses would be beautiful in front beds.

Missing your post for a few weeks

a few things in your planters would be good like a geranium and something else.

Young need to get compost ,good soil, and other plants like roses.

I understand you want to avoid a full brakfast but please add hardboiled eggs so people have protein to start their day, its critical to manage blood sugar even if you arent diabetic, and guests need sustained energy to have fun touristing all day, besides the hardboiled eggs are easy and keep for days. ❤

They make toasters that toast 4 pieces of toast at a time. You might add one of those. So cool that your neighbors are so supportive

You are far enough south that you should be able to plant Mediterranean plants that will thrive. We’re two Americans living in the south and knew nothing about Med plants. We drove around the area to see what plants are thriving and decided on drought resistant, 4 season garden. Osteospermums will mound to 3 ft wide and two ft tall and will thrive from spring to early summer. Red Valerians, Lavender, Bulbines and Saige will also thrive and they’re all perennials that will come back year after year. Don’t force plants you love like Muscari and Peonies into the mix, figure out what thrives in the area and then take into account climate change. Do geraniums with trailers such as petunias in the cement pots on the terrace; they’ll flower late spring into fall for your wedding season Good luck Karen and no more live fish kills please!🤗

Why not leave a toaster in the breakfast room for guests to toast their own bread? A lot of hotels I’ve stayed in do this.

You almost gave me a heartattac tried to call did not get through so I left a txt I am not a landscaper bit I am 70 years old and garden since I could dig holes lol in Germany and in my new home Illinois I am not a know it all but got experience learning by trial and error 😊

You were very brave for a first timer handling the fish! I'm not sure I could have done it! I always had my husband kill the chickens we butchered where I couldn't see because I couldn't handle it. Bravo!😊

Oh no.. Put it back in the river....

Evidentemente non ha il pollice verde. Ci vuole passione per le piante. E per come è messo il suo giardino lei questa passione non c'è lha. Faccia fare il giardino a un professionista, così lo rende più accogliente per gli ospiti. Adesso sembra molto trascurato ed è un peccato perché sarebbe un biglietto da visita un bel giardino.

Mulch with straw not hay.