We're off to a celebration of my stepdaughter's 21st birthday in London -- which is where she's working & studying as a chef-in-training, apprenticed to master chef Alyn Williams. (If you're a food lover, then remember that name: he's a rapidly rising star in the London restaurant scene, and currently a finalist in the Craft Guild of Chef's National Chef of the Year competition.)

It has been, as some of you know, a very tough month for me (for reasons too personal to post in an open public space), but that just makes having a cause to celebrate all the sweeter. Tilly, alas, has to stay at home -- but she's got her very own poet for company, the lucky pooch, so she'll be fine. (Congratulations to said poet, by the way, for this new review in The Sunday Guardian.)

And happy birthday this week to another member of my extended family, sister-of-the-heart Ellen Kushner. I wish you were here to go blackberry-picking in the hedgerows, Ellen, (I know how much you love them!), but since you're not: we send you dreams of blackberry crumble and windfall apples and the wood-smoke scents of these crisp autumn days, with love from all of us at Bumblehill.

Have a good weekend, folks. And don't miss the latest from Kath Langrish at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, and Howard & Rex at John Barleycorn.