A month in Montana, and the long drive home: 2012 version.

The bluebird of happiness lives near Augusta, Montana.

Well, it was really 3 1/2 weeks, but a month sounds better and a little poetic license is allowed, right? I had grand plans of getting lots of work done - lots of extra work that is, and lots of blogging.

Turns out, not so much.

When you're herding 37 college students over hill and dale, up and down mountains, teaching them to read topographic maps and identify rocks, to make their own geologic maps, it wears you out.

(Plus, keeping up with 20-year olds climbing up mountains wears you out, too.)

It was an adventure, as usual.

Snow? Check. On the day it was 97 degrees in Iowa, to boot.

Don't like snow? How about sleet, hail, rain? Check.

Rattlesnakes - though not as many as last year. Too cold, I guess.

We don't go for the weather, or the wildlife. We go for the rocks.

For those of us who are rock afficionados, you probably already know that you just can't beat Montana for some beautiful rocks. For those of you who are not yet fans of rocks, take a look at these beautiful rocks and start planning your visit.

I saved you some snow.

Castle Reef, Sun Canyon, Montana.

Ground flowers near Dell, Montana.

West of Dell, Montana.

Sun River Canyon from the Gibson Dam overlook, Montana.

Gibson Reservoir at Sun River, Montana.