Cows and the Shining

I am spending part of the weekend at a National Board retreat to work with candidates.  The retreat is being held at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on top of Petit Jean Mountain.

We take the last turn onto the road that will take us to the main entrance of the Institute.  As we drive down the road, I see that the road is flanked on both sides by feeding troughs for the cows.  It is feeding time and all the cows have their heads in the trough or up watching the cars as they chew.  We are almost close enough to reach out the window and touch the cows.  It is an odd feeling to be stared at by the cows.  I feel like I imagine zoo animals feel: trapped.  I wonder what the cows think as we pass.  Do they even care that we are there or are they just focused on their dinner?


My husband is on a completely different thought track.  He sees the long drive with nothing but fields and the mountain in the distance.  "We are going to get snowed in and I am going to go crazy."  I stare at him, "We are not in the Shining."  He smiles, "How do you know?"  I laugh and go back to looking at the cows eating thinking about the upcoming portfolio entries I will be reading.


Photo Attribution:
photo © 2008 Jelle | more info        (via: Wylio)