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Very easy to make, Elle. The blackberries grow in my neighbour's garden and he lets me pick those that hang over in my garden.

Hello, Elle!
I did not need my gloves!
Tom Petty was 66 years old.
No age at all.
He was very popular.
I took a little used path for my walk to the park but took a detour to see how the drive-through coffee shop is coming on.
The building is coming along but I do not know when it will be finished.
I have made lentil and bacon soup in the slow cooker and it smells fine!

Hi, Rusty!
Is the new coffee shop definitely going to be a "Costa"?
I can recommend it if it is!
And your lentil and bacon soup sounds wonderful!!
I could just eat some of your lentil soup, and then JG's blackberry and apple crumble..... with a cup of Costa Americano coffee to follow.......
Instead I shall have a blueberry yoghurt!
I have nearly finished (two to go) today's crossword.
I have found it much more approachable than yesterday's puzzle!
Either my brain is in gear this time ........or I am more in tune with this setter.
I especially liked 11a, 19d and 24d ( I won't give answers in case you haven't done yours yet)
The two I couldn't do are......
25a: S?R?I?E?E
I thought "offensive" might be "sortie"?
27a: D?H?M?Y
Any ideas?

Hello, Elle!
I still do not know the correct name of the coffee shop!
Yes, I have done my puzzle.
25, You are bang on with "sortie" and "member" is "leg".
Giving "sortillege" for "divination".
27, is the name of an old African kingdom, which was in, or, part of, Benin, I think.
Not sure though.
"Time" is "day" touring "in" = "home" for Dahomey.
I think 2d is far too easy for The Times!
I have read The Times and my edition has a photo and article on the snow patch melting on Braeriach!

Hi, Rusty!
I did not know "Dahomey"!
Although I am now wondering in retrospect why I didn't think to put "home" for "in"?
Especially considering the number of times I have done that in reverse!
24across held me up for a while.... I thought that "First of peers" meant that the answer would begin with a "P"!
I though "baron" was a bit "loose"?
I ended up with "Barcelona" = city.
Is the melting of the snow patch on Braeriach being associated with global warming?
I should like to say I understand about all that, but really I am not very well informed at all?
We still have a lovely day........although the sky is now losing its "blueness" (is there such a word?)
I am going out with the dog........
Back in a bit!

Hello, Elle!
So, Dahomey is a new word for you!
Well, an old new word!
Jazzgirl's "cultivar" is new to me!
I would say "baron" was OK.
Though, like you, I thought of "p"eers, too.
But, it is the setters brief to mislead/confuse you.
I think global warming may get the blame.
I think it said it is only the sixth time in 300 years it has melted.
But the Scottish skiing seasons have been pretty poor for years.
I do not know what causes global warming, too.
But the ice is shrinking in the Arctic, year on year.
Still fine here, but windy!

Hi, Rusty!
What a lovely day we have had here - it has been chilly...but very pleasant never-the -less.
Strangely, the trees are not yet changing colour very much...still mostly green leaves....and also not many are falling from the branches.
This is odd, because, in the last few years, we have all noticed that our local parks have had leaves dropping as early as August and we have been walking through mounds of russet coloured leaves on the ground as early as that.
But not so this year!
This September hasn't shown much signs of Autumn at all...apart from the autumnal chill!
Have you noticed any changes around your countryside?
I wonder if this is also something to do with global warming?

Hello, Elle!
Plenty fallen leaves here.
Autumn seems just the same.
It is chilly though, and fairly windy.
Do you get BBC4 in Bromley?
It may not be of interest to you, but BBC4 have changed their schedule this night and are showing a Tom Petty concert, later.
I think it was at Oxford.
I am on driving duty with Miss La Bamba tomorrow!
That will be fun!

Hi, Rusty!
Update.......I have been doing some investigating and have discovered that leaves may stay green longer and remain on the trees for a longer period , due to warmer climate changes.
Accuweather.com are putting it down to global warming!
Around us , it is certainly noticeable enough for people to be commenting about the difference this year.
Contrarily though, we are also feeling colder, slightly earlier in the year than usual,
Wearing fleeces, having the heating on.......already!
So that doesn't fit , surely?
It would appear to be a direct contradiction?
( Today's conundrum!)
Now, what time is the Tom Petty concert?
It is also the last episode of "Dr Foster" tonight!

Hello, Elle!
I am the same as you and your neighbours.
I feel it colder already.
I can't explain why, though, Elle.
For that you will have to ask someone intelligent!
Tom Petty is on at 22.30 until 23.15, and it was recorded in 1980.
I have discovered the name of the drive through coffee shop that is being built.
It is called "Starbucks".
I think it is a large chain.
Have you knowledge of them?