I don't know about you, but it's that time down here in West Sussex, and the weather, this morning, was just right for a bit of autumn gathering. The apple tree (an old Sussex variety called a "Crawley Beauty") has fruited again this year - unusually, because it generally fruits every two years and I had a bumper harvest last year - and I just had to get out with the apple picker and gather a huge sackful. Crawley Beauty is either a rather sharp eater or a very sweet cooker - more to be got tomorrow if the weather stays good.

Then there was a trip just ten minutes down the road to the house of a good friend and guitar player, Di, and her guitar-playing partner Chris (a brilliant player). Not to play guitar though (we'll be doing that tonight at my monthly session), but to gather blackberries and sloes from her 17 acres of fields and hedgerows. They're ripening in profusion at the moment, with plenty of unripe ones to go back to in a few days. After an hour of that, bags bulging, a call from Di brings us back to the house for smoked salmon sandwiches and a beer. Back home with well-gotten gains to wash berries, sloes and apples - and look forward to pies and crumbles.

Now I'm going to look up some recipe options for sloe gin on the web. I usually just do it by bottling gin with pricked or cracked sloes (no sugar) and allowing it to "cook" for 2-3 years, but I'm going to see what other ways there are.

Well, the sun's still warm this late afternoon, so it's the Sunday papers for me now, and a coffee...