I felt for Maria this morning when we came across our limp ram. The white lambs are special to me, and special to her. Maria is new to this life-and-death stuff on the farm, it is draining for her, but she is loving and strong, she is a brick, we come together in the most powerful way to do what needs to be done. We both fall apart a bit later.

When she saw Jake, I knew I had to pick up the camera for a bit, so much emotion, I am a journalist at heart, someone has to take the photo, even when it is uncomfortable, and I know she is a private person and it often makes her uncomfortable. She held Jake for nearly an hour, he seemed very drawn to her, at ease in her arms, it seemed to bring him strength. It was a healing love that I witnessed, a powerful thing, another way to talk to animals.