For a short while the beginning of November felt like relief, we finally got some rain and some 79,585,494 Americans made an informed choice for change. 
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Here, hold my beer, I don't have hands!
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Then came "hold my beer."
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thinking of our next adventure…
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Seriously, the rest of this month has been peeking at the news between my clenched fingers and then running outside to distract myself by playing with my horse.
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Major wonders where the race is?
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Because when frustration levels reach a certain height there is nothing that can distract you except horse hair, sweat and pretty views.
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rock dinosaur spine (it was 72 degrees in November, argh!)
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We've still been working on increasing our ride length and difficulty to clear the months of smoke from our lungs. But just getting out has been great. 
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Major LOVES the BLM donkeys (who are getting tame quite quickly)
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Seen while horse hiking: I think the branch is full Mr. Woodpecker!
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We had explored both directions from the stable, to the pond then to the lake shore, getting farther away every day. On one random day I let Major decide which way to head home, and from the lake trail he took an obscure little trail to access the rock trail (why oh why do I let him decide these things) where I had to duck and dodge low branches and poison oak and Major had a grand old time.
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the smell of fall leaves, damp ground and horses
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our fall is more subtle
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On a weekday we trailered out to a pretty local park when there is actually a little fall color. I had my bandana mask that I pull up whenever I see people, and everyone was very polite but almost no one (maybe 10%?) had masks?!…sigh. 
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Major loves to annoy Sal, who is 30+ years old
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poser with fall trees
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Now that an actual fire-season ending (we hope!) rain has fallen things are a bit squishy, but it is nice and cooler and Major is ready to go. Yesterday it had only just stopped raining and when I drove up he practically threw himself out the gate, wanting out (he has an entire pasture, but getting out is much more fun). We just went for a short hike, but I can tell I may be in for a real hold-my-beer ride next time!
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our fall colors are in the sky…
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