Busy is the name of the game.

I have now done my first programs and really enjoyed interacting with the groups that came.  I did a geology walk, a fossil talk and a junior ranger program.  This has been a whirlwind of events and my thanks to all that are being so patient for updates.  I have created a video of my wanderings today, hope you enjoy. Today was my day off and I played tourist in the park.  I took off for the primitive area and stopped at every overlook on the far side of the park. It was a great trip and I saw a whole lot of wildlife.  I saw the bighorn sheep laying around on one of the buttes, pronghorn with young, lots of prairie dogs, and a handful of bison.  In fact one I had to stop and wait for him to come down the road at me then off into the prairie.  Once I edit that I will get it posted..I think I may have said something during my taping since a vehicle was fast coming up the hill on his other side and I wasn't sure if they saw him or not as he came down the road. Not the guy you want to run into out in the middle of the prairie.   Then I headed back to the other side and took a leisurely stroll on one of the paths.  Up on that one, the Cliff Shelf, I ran into a mule deer and she didn't seem to mind me or the other visitors a bit.  Cliff Shelf is are area where the butte has slumped down and can sustain trees so you can actually tell the temperature difference in those areas. The animals like it.  Of course I had to catch a prairie dog on tape and some of the beautiful prairie flowers as well.  It was a fun day!
I am slowly learning the grass species in the park, there are over 60 types. Heaven knows how many flowers there are.  Only have seen one rattlesnake, the one from the first day. 

I also ran over to the town of Phillip to check out their grocery store last night.  It is a little one but has just about anything you would need, the plus is it is only about 30 miles from the park as opposed to 70+ miles to go into Rapid City. The trip to Rapid is a straight drive so it is not too bad:) I was telling my husband Tom that on the way to Phillip these little green and yellow grasshoppers were covering the road by the thousands.  Those of you that know me, know grasshoppers are not my most favorite bug.  However, it was amazing to see the road just covered with them. 

I am continually amazed at how beautiful it is here.  It seems to change each and every time you look at the formations.  The old prairie flowers finish blooming and new ones take their place.  The sky is such an amazing shade of blue-it looks almost fake.  When lightening flashes around here it really makes itself know dramatically.  Wish the pictures I post could get across the "bigness" of the whole thing. 
Oh, I will have the traditional ranger at the sign picture to post soon as well.  I am enjoying doing ranger things and although I miss my friends and family, I definitely am very thankful to have this opportunity.