I went to see Moise Saturday afternoon and he was keen on showing me the barn as it nears completion. “By tomorrow, Johnnie,” he said triumphantly, “all of our horses will be living in their stalls.”

Moise’s horses deserve this roomy and comfortable shelter, they work long and hard.

Moise deserves a lot of praise himself, but the Amish don’t do praise, they believe in weakens the community to single people out for praise.

I did give him a hug and a handshake, and I congratulated him on all the good and hard work. I asked if he wanted to see the photos I had taken – I told him I would take some from a distance, but I wouldn’t sneak around about it.

He nodded.

As he and his children gathered around me excitedly, I showed him every photo that I took (all from a distance) and everyone I put up on the blog.

I thanked him for letting me come along on this wild journey. I said there was no stopping him.

I asked if he was comfortable with my taking those photos and he said yes, he saw a lot of people taking pictures. He just nodded and said he would love to see them.

He and his children pored over every single one – they were in my Iphone, and when I was done, Moise asked if I could print out the honest I thought were the best, he wanted to send them to his daughter in Maine and to other relatives and friends who couldn’t come to the raising.

We chose 12 together and I will get them printed at my own expense, I couldn’t charge him for that.

Moise is a realist. I wouldn’t take a close-up of his face, or of any Amish face, but he accepts the reality of the situation. Lots of people who came to see the raising was taking photos. I wasn’t about to be the only one who wasn’t.

He smiled when I told him I was simply not capable of not taking any pictures of the raising.

I know they don’t really like it, but it was a moment I felt the need to be recorded, and I believe he felt the same way.

But there was not one photo that showed a face close up or that was not taken from a distance.

The Amish believe they have no power over that, it’s on the photographer. If God doesn’t like it, he will let them know. They know how to bend without breaking.

So far, so good.

I told Moise that as I was leaving, I was going to take a photo of him.

He was walking through the barn with his granddaughter, his back was too sore for him to bend, he asked her to pick up any nails he spotted. She was doing that as we left and putting them into a bucket.

It was the perfect end to this phase of the barn.

As I got to the door, I took the photo and he waved. I can’t wait to get those prints to him, including the one above. Moise is humble, but he is not without ego.

I told him I could not live with myself if the images I saw were not recorded. I said I felt bad for a few seconds, but not for long. He smiled again but said nothing.

I told him I bought a fancy new camera. He laughed out loud. “Good luck with it,” he said. “There is no stopping you, either.”