pumpkin spice

all pumpkins scream this season

It is pumpkin spice season, and I don't mean the not-actually-pumpkin-just-spices addition to your favorite beverage.

golden grassy trail

branches sunset

I mean PUMPKIN orange SPICE naughtiness, otherwise know as fall high-jinks! Cooler weather (well, that's relative, it's been in the 70s during the day!) have led to many rides where few photos are taken because two hands on the wheel are needed at all times. Plus, it might not help that a lovely fellow blogger (yes, YOU, out yourself if you want!) sent me some pumpkin candies that I just had to share (a successful treat!)

mmm, thank you!

Between that and the anxiety that OMG I'm going to be late for dinner because it is dark thirty already, and Major thinks he is going to turn into a pumpkin if it is past dinner time, there have been some, umm, exciting rides lately.

hazy day at the lake

river sparkly

obey the speed limit Major

Oh, and the lake trail is open, which led to some conversations that because you can see open sand in front of you it does not mean run. Sigh, I think many people deal with this silliness in fall, I just seem to forget until it is upon me!

cool lake rocks

But we had a great ride in Auburn (though we did not ride home like Major wanted) and to Rattensake Bar (where we did not take the short-cut to swim across like the lake like Major implied) and we did find a tiny orange traffic cone on the trail the other day (random? Mine!) and Major had to stand until I tied it to the saddle, so much work!

all the orange spice (see that face, that is AFTER the ride!)

But there are some quiet moments too. On a recent hike I was just burned out, a too-long day at work, and just leaned onto him in the forest, and he stood quietly. Then I hopped on bareback ("hopped" means I found a higher bank to get on, though there should have been video, my first attempt I threw myself OVER my horse onto the opposite side and he just looked at me on the ground! Winter fur is slippery!)

bareback golden weeds

at least it is dust, not mud?

I hope everyone is enjoying the shorter desperate days before darkness, I mean lovely fall season, with with spicy horses of your own!

early dark thirty