Some folks say that the length or thickness of horse hair is an indicator of a bad winter. The hair on Mickey, a recent transplant from Montana, points to a mild winter, said owner Darren Barfield, manager of The Ranch at Mica Meadows in Mica Flats. (But I'm told that the other horses on the ranch had thick hair. So, beware.)/SR Photo by Kathy Plonka.

Question: OK, HBOers, some of you have quirky ways of predicting the weather. Want to share what you look for when you're trying to figure out what kind of winter we're going to have. And, if you're so bold, please make your predictions now.

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