I love training Fate and teaching her how to herd sheep – Maria asked me if I would do most of the training. Fate and I have a beautiful relationship, but the real bond emerging is one between Fate and Maria. As dogs do, and as border collies always do, Fate has chosen Maria to be her human, and Maria has chosen Fate to be her dog.

Fate follows Maria from room to room and eagerly goes into her studio all day as she makes art. The two are so comfortable together, and love one another very much.Today, we took Red and Fate to the cemetery for the walk, I loved the sight of these two remarkable and loving women exploring the cemetery together. Maria loves this oak tree, it is old and huge and she decided to measure it.

Fate was with her every step of the way. Maria hung her leash on the tree and the two of them walked around the tree and measure it – more than eighteen feet wide, said Maria. Fate was as fascinated by the tree as Maria was. This afternoon, another step for Fate, she is going with me to the Albany Train Station to pick up my daughter and son-in-law, they are coming for the weekend. I will ask her to be quiet in the back seat for three or four hours. Fate is still very much a puppy, but the portrait of the dog is beginning to emerge, the best of the border collie – bright, curious, playful, eager to work, loving, busy.

Two wonderful creatures have found one another and joined the glorious partnership of the human and the animal that has always marked human existence.