Montana

We enjoyed a fabulous trip sans kid to Montana this past weekend. It's been YEARS since we have been away for more than a night or two. Andrew had the chance to participate in a colloquium for a group out there and they invited me to join. We were treated to fabulous dinners and even a tour of a ranch. He had a great time, but I had the best time. ;)

While he was in sessions, I drove to Yellowstone National Park. It was breathtakingly beautiful and it felt like a crime to enjoy it by myself! It was a delightful drive, though and I really enjoyed the alone time. What a treat to see a black wolf (rare even for those who live locally, I guess), bison, elk, longhorn sheep, and so much more. I had never been west before and it quickly became a priority for vacation in the next few years with the kids.

What a welcome trip. We have had such a challenging and confusing year and feel like it will never let up (we welcome your prayers). We were so thankful for the time away in a beautiful area of the country!

This ended up being a full rainbow with a partial double - gorgeous!

The view from where we were staying! 

The Lodge - a boutique inn known for their fly fishing.

Yellowstone River

I loved the texture of these. 

Hot springs - so remarkable and smelled like sulphur (ick!).

Bison crossed the road in front of me.

Beautiful waterfall - close to where the wolf was spotted. It was too far away for me to successfully photograph, but it was awesome to see!

A herd of bison roaming free in the park.

Another waterfall - about a 1/2 mile hike off the road - totally worth it.

On the drive back to the Lodge.