On Saturday we ate the first artichokes of the year and the first few broad beans (well, Rob had the beans - I don't like them very much, even when they're tiny).

I'm gradually getting the weeds under control at last - there are still quite a few of them around, but there's a lot more clear areas now too.

Today I uprooted some of the remaining brassicas from last year and dug the ground they'd been growing in, removing most of the weeds in that area. I was considering startinfg a second strawberry bed in that section, and since the strawberries have started colonising it already, that definitely seems to be a good plan! :-)

I had a companion on the allotment this afternoon, in the form of this little chap :-

I think he's a fledgling blackbird - I saw his mother fly off as I approached at one point. He was quite wary, but i managed to be quiet and still enough to get a few shots of him.

He looks rather grumpy - I think my presence was holding up the arrival of his lunch :-)

The close-up may leave something to be desired, since I had to use digital zoom to get it.  He stomped off to hide in my potato plants after these were taken - those are noe tall enough to be a jungle for someone the size of him :-)

The strawberries seem to be ripening well now and I picked a small bowlful today.

Yum!