Truth be told, it was the most enormous marrow, both in length and girth. Green it was, with stripes of deep and buttery yellow. Resting against it, a rosette of yellow silk enclosed the words ‘Country Champion’. A large silver … Continue reading
Ulysses Plott, wandering downstairs in search of a cup of tea, heard the sound of furious typing from his wife’s study, and nodded with satisfaction. Good old Philomena. Excellent self-discipline. He stuck his head around the door. “Fancy a cuppa?” Philomena jumped, … Continue reading
His face glowing with excitement, Bertie burst into Lord Ulysses Plott’s rickety old wooden greenhouse, ‘Uncle, uncle, I’ve sold my first story!’ Ulysses looked up from potting on some seedling jacarandas, ‘What’s that? Excellent news, I knew you-‘ ‘It’s totally … Continue reading
Bertie Inkgreen pulled to a stop on the Plott’s driveway, spraying gravel in an extravagant arc. Lord Plott ducked protectively over the rosebush he was strapping upright. “I say,” he protested. “Bit of shrapnel there.” “Sorry, uncle,” Bertie said. “How’s … Continue reading
Ulysses Plott was off his food, his breakfast newspaper, off his – well, just about everything. “What’s up, dear?’ Lady Plott asked at lunchtime. ‘Oh, nothing,’ Lord Plott stared morosely out the window at the teeming rain. ‘Weather getting you … Continue reading
“Marvellous, isn’t it, having them so early?” Dolores Plott-Muggins waved a pallid strawberry in the air. “I think I’d rather let them come on in their own time,” Lady Philomena Plott said, eyeing the strawberry with suspicion. “I’m not terribly … Continue reading
It was the time of year when Ulysses liked to plan the Annual Expedition. As a result, the dining room was redesignated as the Campaign Room, and holiday catalogues thumped down from the letterbox onto the doormat in a constant … Continue reading
“Aunt Philly? Uncle Ulysses? Anyone home?” “Bertie, dear boy,” Lady Philomena Plott emerged from the conservatory with a tray of seedlings. She had an ancient straw hat on her head and, Bertie noticed, had accessorised a vintage silk dress with … Continue reading
It was the most beautiful late-February afternoon. The air was warm, the sky blue, the daffodil buds strained towards the sun so hard you could almost see them grow. Lord Plott heard the bee before he saw it, a low, … Continue reading
Bertie Inkgreen walked up the gravel driveway to the Plotts on a crisp January afternoon. Bertie was not serene. Bertie had a problem, and was visiting his aunt Philomena and uncle Ulysses (Col. Lord U, etc, retd.) to seek advice. … Continue reading