It took me months to get Sandra Adams and Cassandra Conety (mother and daughter) to pose together for a portrait, both are shy and modest.  They speak softly, but have the same twinkle in their eyes, they know how to smile and laugh.

Today, I finally wore them down and was grateful for this portrait, I love taking portraits of people with character, and especially people with character who love one another.

Cassandra is a vet tech at the Cambridge Valley Veterinary Service, Sandra is a former school teacher who now runs a nearby farm with her husband Brian.  Her former students speak very highly of her. They raise goats, sell hay and harvest sap for maple syrup, among other things. Sandy comes from a much loved family that has lived in my county for a long time.

Cassandra is businesslike and efficient. She does her work and pays little mind to me. I will miss seeing her in the morning.

In these two faces, I see character and honesty. Cassandra is also quiet, there is no drama or artifice about her, she has helped me tremendously during Maria’s absence, even if it didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. Does it ever? We have a good pet sitter if we need one. We do need one.

When I need hay, I call Sandy and she and Brian drive their good hay over and it has kept our animals healthy and content over the winter. I was surprised when Sandy sort of agreed to pose today. “Would you like a portrait of you and your daughter?” She said it was up to Cassandra, who was shocked her mother agreed to be photographed.

Usually, Sandy just shakes her head no. I didn’t waste any time. I told Cassandra up front that working her meant being photographed, and she just shrugged.

It’s okay, I said to Sandy, I was a reporter, I got a guy in a riot to stop throwing rocks at me long enough to pose for a photo, and then he set fire to my car. Oh my, she said. I told them to look at my bald spot, and they smiled.