A learning experience in the garden

I have to keep reminding myself that not everything will work the first year. And that I won't like growing everything. Here's what I've learned so far:

1. It rains a lot in Wales. And rains and rains. Soilman is praying for rain in the south-east of England. And I would like a bit of sun. My tomatoes are miserable. My courgettes are sulking. My leaf beet is very happy indeed but a bit of balance to the weather please. It feels like it's been drizzling all week. Probably because it has.
2. I want a greenhouse next year. I popped over to see my cousins and while there took a look at the tomatoes in the greenhouse. They look great. They aren't miserable at all. Actually my neighbour's courgettes are also looking fabulous. These are plants I propagated but of course I'm too nice to find this galling. I think. Hmmph.
3. It's probably better to grow more of a few things than so much of a little. I got overexcited by the seed catalogue so I have a few carrots, a few beetroot, a few fennel coming along, some peas, some beans but none are really enough to fill a family of four at dinner. The only thing I've got too much of is tomatoes. Oh and possibly squash but that's yet to be proven. My courgettes are looking so sulky that I may even have avoided a glut which is apparently unheard of.
4. Some vegetables are more frustrating than others. I am finding the slow growing winter veg like parsnips rather hard going. I know I'll be grateful eventually but boy is it eventually. And they take up so much room. I failed completely with the celeriac and leeks which is annoying but then I don't really have the room right now. Lettuce, leaf beet, beetroot, beans etc. are very gratifying. One minute there's not much, and then there's dinner.