For some years now, Maria has inspired me and informed my work on my 15-year project, “Talking To Animals,” now a book nearing completion. I have seen her talk to the donkeys, listen to them, come to understand them in a wiser and mystical way. Now, Chloe, the pony. I see the same thing, an understanding of one another, an exchange of emotions, a trust and a connection. This has long been my experience with dogs, it seems to deepen with each new dog that comes to live here – Lenore, Red, now Fate. The photos speak for themselves, you can see them speaking to one another, Maria and I have learned so much about communicating with animals, I can’t wait to write more about it – emotions, visualizations, respect and acceptance. And yes, food and attention.