The best presents

I have just received an unbirthday present in the post – an unbirthday present from me to myself. I have come to the conclusion that this is the best sort of present, and would highly recommend the habit of buying yourself unbirthday presents on a regular basis. For a start, you always get exactly the present you wanted, and to my mind they do not need to be at all expensive, just the sort of small, exquisitely-wrapped goodie that you would like to find in your Christmas stocking, but probably never do. There is no guilt attached to this sort of present, as is consequent on not really liking the hugely expensive present that your nearest and dearest has bought you; no secretly wondering if you can take it back without causing offence. So many presents just don’t quite hit the spot, however well-meant, because I think that, deep down, a lot of the time we are buying what we would really like ourselves – and everyone’s idea of a good present is so different. Moreover, you’re giving yourself a little pat on the back, a bit of self-love, which, in moderation, is no bad thing.



So having justified myself quite nicely, you can see from the picture that I have just received the prettiest little brooch in the post from the delightful Hen at Henhouse Homemade, which I thought I would share with you, too. The parcel was so sweetly wrapped that I should have photographed it before unwrapping, so that you could also join in the fun and anticipation, but unfortunately excitement overcame me, and I didn’t think about photos until afterwards! I discovered Hen and her emporium by pure chance – I was looking on the internet for a new house for our expanding flock of hens – and came across the Hen’s blog instead. Pure serendipity! I took one look at the pictures, and knew that this was someone after my own heart – and far more interesting to look at than endless online catalogues of different-sized chicken houses, useful as they might be.

However, the presents in this household aren’t all for me – the hens did finally get their own house, as well. And very charming it is, as you can see. I know as permaculturists we should really have made one ourselves from spare wood lying about the place, but we burned all that last winter, and I myself could only make the sort of henhouse that you could knit or run up on a sewing machine, whilst the more practical members of the family were otherwise engaged. But we bought local, an ex-display model from Forsham Cottage Arks, and their houses are so well-made that they do stand the test of time.


So happy hens we have, and happy unbirthday to you, too!