SR photog Jesse Tinsley posts on his Facebook wall: "Just a dusting, but still the first snow of the season in my (Post Falls) neighborhood." I didn't see snow around my place this morning. But I consider Halloween the first of three "pre-winter" holidays of early winter. The second two are Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mayor Sandi Bloem & I will be celebrating our joint birthday again on Nov. 20.

Question: Many people whom I've talked to are certain that we're going to have a colder, snowier winter this year. But I remind them that the prognosticators have been saying that for the last 2 or 3 winters -- and have been wrong. What are you expecting?