preparing for guests

Whenever I prepare our guest cottage for new guests arriving, I invariably think about my grand mother.    An elegant lady and a fine housekeeper.

When as a little girl, I stayed with her, she always placed, on my bedside table a tiny vase with a handful of blooms from the garden.  I loved this attention to detail, a sweet welcome, an accompanying gesture that made me feel cared for.

So today, as I tidied the cottage, and made up the beds, my last task was to pick a few flowers and pop them into vases.  Some for the kitchen, some for the living room and some - of course - for the bedside table.

How about you?  What is the special thing you like to do, to make guests feel welcome?  Or, alternatively, what is the thing you most remember, that a host or hostess prepared for your visit?