Dear Cousin Pogonia,
It was splendid to see you this year in Winter-home, as always. I do hope that your apprenticeship at Cluckland has been more fruitful than mine with Master Gardener Jeffrey Bloomer. As I'm sure you'll recall, being that this was my forth year of apprenticing with Master Jeffrey, I was expecting to receive my Winter's Gardener title after this season's end. Well you can imagine my dismay when I opened the box gifted to me by Master Jeffrey, and found that it did not contain my Winter's Gardener title, but instead a map to that cold and far off land called Forochel. I explained to Master Jeffrey that in order to become a botanist of world renown and sell my fine quality botanicals in all the world's corners, I must obtain the Winter's Gardener title. After all, had the people of Winter-home not nearly all remarked that this year's mushrooms had not only the most delicious taste, but also texture, not seen in many a season? Master Jeffrey quickly interrupted me with the news that I will still receive my Winter's Gardener title, but only after I travel to these far north lands and master their herbalism.
Now you know I was hoping to buy a smial in The Shire and even open a botanical shop there, but in order to get top dollar for my high quality botanicals, I must be a botanist of world renown. And so up north I shall go.
I have begun my preparations and will probably be on the road by the time you receive this. I'll stop to see you and the family at Twoflops Farmstead, after stopping in Waymeet to order a wagon that's fit for sleeping. I'll also speak with the dwarf folk in Waymeet and see if any know of an Axe I can hire. Once I leave the Shire the roads will become too dangerous for me to travel alone, so I'm hoping that the gold coins I was saving will be enough to pay a decent escort. I know this all sounds mad, Cousin Pogonia, but I just must claim the title which is owed to me fair and square.
Very truly yours,
Inkberry
