I was driving around last week with one of the college kids and, as I tend to do, was enthusiastically making sure that she didn’t miss any of the pastoral beauty around us.

“Mom.” She stopped me and held up her phone. “I just texted Dad and told him that every time you make a comment about a cow, I’m going to take shot during Thanksgiving. He says I probably won’t make it until lunchtime.

“What do you do when no one’s in the car?” she continued. “Just whoop at them?”

How do you answer that? 

And yes, while I miss her and her brother, I am glad to come around a corner, see a pack of cows hanging out, and whisper, “Aw, yissssss,” and know I’m not going to be judged.