I did a short special project for a couple days in the Yankton area when I first got here; other than that I've been working in Pierre. Pierre is a small town; only one other state has a smaller capital city. ← But the capitol building and grounds, complete with Capitol Lake, is beautiful, and I've walked there many times. There is a small flock of nine wood ducks living on Capitol Lake, and I've sure enjoyed watching them ↓. 
This is a small disaster, as disasters go. Though we're working long hours (7 to 7 to start, as usual), we've been getting some time off on the weekends since the beginning. And I've taken the opportunity to see a bit of this part of the state. Mostly I've driven up and down the Missouri River, both east and west, but one weekend I drove the 175 miles to Rapid City. I took the opportunity to drive the Needles Highway, since I won't be able to drive it with my RV because of the many hairpin curves and the too-small tunnels. I drove up to Sylvan Lake, and saw the needles, of course, and the view of the beautiful Black Hills from the top. I was disappointed to see so much damage to the fir trees due to the pine nut beetle, but that is typical of most western forests these days.
On my jaunts around the countryside, I've seen lots of birds, including a kestrel, a golden eagle, a wood duck, a black-capped night heron (first time ever!), turkey vultures, Hungarian partridges, a ruddy duck (with its bright blue bill), lots of grebes, lots of pheasants of all ages [↑ and ↓] ,
pelicans, lots of ducks, Inca doves, and lots of hawks. I got close to one hawk because it didn't want to leave its prey behind (a rabbit, I think), and I got close to another hawk that had just caught a mouse [red-tailed hawk ↓]. 
I've seen lots of prairie dogs, some antelope, deer, and a coyote. The rivers, the lakes, the grasslands, the dunes, the dams - this is all beautiful country here. And much of what I've been exploring is part of Sioux reservations. The Sioux lands have few people living on them. I see lots of beautiful horses, though. One of my drives was to the Narrows, the land inside a large loop of the Missouri. Another drive was through Cheyenne Sioux territory and the Cheyenne River, where I discovered one of my favorite places so far, an out-of-the-way place called Foster Bay →.
Another was through the national grasslands and dunes south of the Missouri River. I've learned that traditionally there were three Sioux dialects - the Dakota, the Lakota, and the Nakota!! I take the kitties with me, so they get a break from the hotel room [↓ Cleo "hunting"]. They must go stir-crazy in the hotel room all day while I'm at work. I'm still looking for a home(s) for them, though I haven't been very diligent about it so far. :-) They love being outside on our weekend jaunts.
I never knew before that there were so many different kinds of sunflowers. One afternoon, on my explorations, I found a field of sunflowers back-lit by the sun. I didn't think that was possible. Sunflowers' heads follow the sun - hence the name - and I didn't think I'd ever see a field of sunflowers facing me, with the sun behind them. But that's what I found. I walked around in the amazing sunflower field, with sunflowers all around me, for awhile. Amazed at their beauty. It's late in the season, and the heads are very heavy. I'm guessing maybe the heads were too heavy to turn toward the sun, but I really don't know.
I am so enjoying the lovely weather we've been having while I've been here - sunny and warm (70s and 80s) almost every day. Now that it's October, the leaves and grasses are turning colors and it's even more beautiful than it was when I got here. I've learned that cattails are beautiful in so many different ways.
I am expecting to be released from this assignment sometime in October, at which point I plan to visit friends and family in ND and MN a little before I head south. Assuming the weather stays nice. :-)
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