Autumn is coming!

Today I had mostly a domestic day. The weather being lovely still, I managed to wash all the chair cushions in the expectation of them drying outside. (Will buy tumble dryer next month when we have finished paying for the holiday!)

Late afternoon/early evening I went on a mooch about for a blip. I saw these lovely fat blackberries dangling over the back fence. I was quite surprised as I think of them as Autumn fruit and it's still really warm and sunny!

They are growing in the no-mans land between garden back fences. It used to be a narrow back alley running behind the houses but it is massively overgrown. The brambles just act as a good burglar deterrent now. (It would take Prince charming a lot of Whacking to get here too....)
I opened the gate and was totally amazed at the density of fruit there. The birds can not easily get down between the two rows of fences to get to it so it was laden with fat berries!
I spent a fruitful(!) half hour picking all the ones that wouldn't give me bodily damage. (This was also quite funny as I had a full face of 1950'style make up on - eyebrow pencil, eye liner and bright red lips - I had been trying out my look for tomorrow - as I don't usually wear much make up at all...)
I now have almost 1.5lbs of berries! If I wear sturdier kit I can get more later. I shall have to ring mum for a recipe for jelly.