People tell me almost daily that a new photograph is their favorite and my best ever. and often wish it were true.

Of course, I love to hear that, but I also know that the person saying that believes the photo is the best because it touches something inside of them. I wouldn’t say which of my photos is the best; I want every picture to be better than the ones that came before.

Vanity, either way.

I do my best and hope the photo says something that touches people’s emotions.  I know the flowers touch mine.  I know that during these dispiriting and often cruel times, flowers lift people, touch their hearts, and make them smile.

That’s good enough for me. I only photograph flowers that touch emotions in me.

This morning’s photo of Maria and Asher is one of my favorites. I told Maria I thought it was the photo of the year. It says so much about Maria and the love she has for the animals here and for the love the animals have for her.

This morning, she sang to all the animals—the dogs, chickens, sheep, and donkeys. When she got to Asher, he put his nose against her head and watched in fascination. He seemed to love the song.

I had my big lens on the camera and just watched and waited. I got the photo I wanted. It deserves to stand up alone. This is what our lives are about; this is what the farm is about. This is what makes me feel so fortunate about who I am, where I am, and who I am here with.