Coming to you from my quiet spot right next to the wood stove. It's January now, actually the 18th to be exact. My bosses (actually they are also my parents) are caught up watching the playoff games for this years Super Bowl. Things are quite cold today as they often are this time of year in Pennsylvania. Although today was pretty scary. I've been listening to the news reports playing all day about this crazy ice storm. I know there were a lot of accidents, which is why we stayed put at home for the day. Typically I am dressed in my orange vest every morning after mom and dad get ready. Work, work, work. But I do love my job.
I work at Kospia Farms in Alburtis, PA. Very important job too, I might add. Honestly, I don't know how they would get on without me. Our farm is a working tree farm and nursery. I'm only two years old this February, but I hear stories about the olden days in the 70's when dad's dad Big John, ran the joint. It used to be called Garden Bargains, then eventually Kospia's Nursery - now it's Kospia Farms. Yeah, lots of stories about how dad grew up in all this and learned everything he knows. Big John sounds like he was a real character...still have customers stopping by and reminiscing. I wish I could have met him - and dad's brother Rick too! Luckily I did get these last few years getting to know my grandmother Marian. What a beautiful lady. And such class. Sad they are gone now, but I keep an eye out for them.
Dad has made a lot of changes to the farm this past year and he's already working on more cool things for this coming Spring. FYI I have some amazing friends here! Dad built a pasture and we have a small herd of Watusi cattle. Crazy I know. But he likes things out of the ordinary. These guys are still young too, but eventually their horns could be like eight feet. They come from a breed of cattle in Africa, the largest horned cattle in the world. I don't know where Africa is, but mom says she'll show me on a map sometime. They had a baby this past July. His name is Ricky, my best friend. I was actually there when he was born and his mom Chung even let me help clean him off. Of course our horse Ruby was all like "leave the baby alone" and all that. She can be a little full of herself. She thinks she's his nanny or something. Her and I still kick back once and awhile when I can get away from the work but most of the time she's hanging with Ricky. I'm hearing rumors that there might be another baby coming this Spring. That would be really awesome.
Oh yeah, then there is all the changes! Dad fixed up our old potting shed so that we can specialize in outdoor furniture. Mom runs this though. Dad's the outside guy. I love hanging with mom to watch her work with customers. Sometimes she lets me help and I casually tap the back of the customers legs real gentle like. When they look at me I just point my nose to some great dining tables or outdoor sectionals and they end up going right to it. Mom says no commissions for me cause I'm part of the family. Whatever. I don't even know what that is and I'd rather just have a bone anyway.
Sheila and Megan work with me too. Sheila has been at the farm for like EVER! Which is why I think she was a little put out when I got promoted to garden manager. She says no, but I can tell. She loves me though and I make sure I don't interrupt her when she's talking with customers about all our nursery products. She really does know her stuff. We get people calling and stopping in just to talk to her. Mom says she's irreplaceable. And she freakin cracks me up, all of us actually. She is darn strong too. She picks up trees and plants single handed. Sometimes I wish I had thumbs so I could help her. But then I guess that's where Megan comes in. Megan just started this past year but she is sooooooo smart! She knows tons of stuff about all kinds of things. She helps Sheila, Mom and Dad all the time. And....she gets me special treats. She really loves me even though she secretly draws mustaches on my promotion photo at the sales counter.
We are quite a team around here! We're pretty much at the farm every day unless the weather is bad like today. Hopefully the changes we make at the farm this winter will help us stay open all year long. I miss greeting the customers at this time of year. It's kinda quiet around here without them. I'm looking forward to Spring so I can see them again, especially all the kids. But mom says we need the time right now to create some new things to showcase when we reopen. I'm sure it will be great. They are all hard at work and I can tell you it is really cold! I'm hoping maybe I can get a new vest before we open again. Mines kinda faded and torn from running in the woods and rolling in the cattle poop. BTW....humans don't seem to enjoy that as much as I do. Strange creatures.
Well, I'm smelling some really yummy things coming from the kitchen. Moms been banging around up there so I want to beat my sisters to it. I'm gonna go, but I'll write again soon. I'm gonna attach some photos too, as soon as we get back to the farm and I can get to my photo library. For now, hope you're all home safe and warm. Feel free to write me too! I'd love to make some new pen pals. The chickens that live next door don't write much anymore.
Your new friend,
Cutty
(Mom says the best dog in the world)
