There is nowhere on the island where we can buy eggs anymore. There used to be. For thirty-five years there have been chickens on the neighbouring farm, but it sold this year and the chickens are gone. I thought it would be fun to get some chickens of my own.

The original shed in our garden was built as a chicken coop and wouldn’t take too much renovation to return it to its original function. E is not, I may note, a big fan of this project but the alternative option he was given was raising bees. Post heart transplant medications prohibit any jobs which would put him in the company of, among other things, birds. So, once the coop is built, raising chickens will be my 2022 project alone. It will be fun for me. We will both benefit from the eggs and the garden will reap the reward of chicken manure, and, for you dear readers, a new and exciting topic to discuss.

We don’t normally make New Year’s resolutions but this year we did agree that we would follow the following flowchart before we began any new projects; like, for example, learning to raise chickens or bees.

I call the chart

2022 SHOULD WE OR SHOULDN’T WE

So, no chicken or bee projects this year. The chart is brilliant, I needed reminding that this summer is to be spent with no agenda, just puttering about and finishing odd jobs. After all there is plenty to do in the garden to keep me busy and goodness knows E always has tasks which need doing.. We are not going to complicate things.

Hours and hours relaxing in the garden followed by hours and hours relaxing on the deck are the only items on this summer’s dance card. We won’t starve. I understand they sell eggs and honey

in the store