Cassandra’s morning visits to the farm are over, at least for now. Fate, the work whore, was sitting at the door waiting for her this morning. I’ll have to do, I said.

Red is loyal to me, he always tried to get back to the house if I wasn’t there. Maria is returning to human form after about 24 hours of sleep, we had a long talk and a long walk this morning about how she might choose to continue this work in India to help women make a living by doing their art.

I think she needs one more day of rest, but that’s up to her. I predict she’ll slip into her studio some time today.

The India initiative  exciting, and I think there might be a role for me to play in writing about it and taking photos, if she decides to go back and if her plans work out. This is our path. She was very attached to one group of women she met in a village outside of Kolkata, and would love to help sell their work here, especially the potholders she showed them how to make.

We’ll see what happens, she is still digesting the trip and recovering from it. She was sure tired.

Cassandra was wonderful, I thought it appropriate to take a shot of her shoveling manure, she does it well and efficiently, taught me a few things about how to to it. The dogs and animals loved her and we are fortunate to know her. I love how businesslike she is, if you want to talk to her, you have to follow her around, she doesn’t stop work for anything.

She works with utter seriousness and grim purpose, is willing to be photograph, but not to stop and pose. She did pause for this one shot above.

She figured out how to run Fate into the ground so that she is calm all morning and is sensitive to Red and his more relaxed ways. She is used to donkeys and ponies and moves easily and confidently about them. She seemed serious at first, but has a rich and dry sense of humor, which emerges from time to time.

She knows to check on water and feed and keep an eye on fences and gates.

Cassandra is just a person you trust, and it was comfortable for me to have her around.

My plans for an intensely creative period on my books fell apart instantly. First there was a blizzard, then a computer crash, then the distraction of Maria’s absence. But her presence was still immensely helpful to me, doing the chores in the morning made life easier for me, gave me time to write on the blog and take photos kept me from being exhausted by all of the house and farm and shopping and cleaning and cooking chores.

Maria and I split almost all of the chores – she doesn’t shop or cook – but doing all of them myself was relentless. Up here, it is a gift to know people like Cassandra, they help make my own life possible. If you have a farm, you will always need help.

This weekend, Maria and I are going to Albany to meet with refugee workers to figure out how we can get more involved with the new refugee families, I might end up teaching English to some newly-arrived families. I was trained as a literacy volunteer some time ago. Time to brush up, maybe. Sunday, I also hope to meet with some refugee children and photograph them. Exciting times.

I’m sure I will be calling Cassandra many times, and since she is a vet tech at the clinic we use, she will remain very much in our lives. A gift to us. Thanks, Cassandra you are great.