Digging nearly done

Weary this evening, having nearly completed two jobs - digging the allotment and painting the garden fence. Isn't it annoying when you just run out of time, or physical capacity, shortly before a task is completed? I'm not a great "finisher" anyway, I always find those last bits and pieces - the small corners unpainted, final edit on an article, trimming the edge of the lawn - a real bore to complete. But in the case of the fence, my feet had gone to sleep after standing in one position too long (not a good time of year to find a gap to stand in at the back of the flower bed; lots of bulbs and new seeds bursting through, it would be a shame to crush their optimism.) And this morning's digging had to end at 2 pm when beloved really couldn't wait any longer for his lunch and a pee!

This warm, bright morning we found:

• broad beans up an inch, some just bringing forth their third leaves, three weeks after planting
  
• much of the garlic, planted at the same time, up an inch or two
• a row of two types of salad leaves, put in a fortnight ago, just visible above the soil
  
• carrots sprouting - Early Nantes, seeded three weeks ago and late season Long Lisse de Meaux, which were only planted last week!
  

No sign of cauliflower or leeks yet.

Most of my fellow allotment tenants seem to have planted their spuds already - it still surprises me how much space they devote to them, they're an unrewarding crop. Once we've enjoyed the first few new potatoes, one might just as well buy in. I am planning to try oca this year (lemon flavoured root tubersoriginating in Latin America) and more Jerusalem artichokes. Otherwise I find space is more usefully and tastily occupied by less pedestrian veg.