The Slice: A spring contest is in the air

Hey, kids! What time is it?

That’s right, it’s Slice contest time.

Let’s call this one “Spring in Spokane.”

Your challenge is to capture the essence of the season — in a photo, poem, drawing or whatever.

You don’t actually have to live in Spokane to enter. But I think you’ll agree that “Spring in the Spokane Area” is a tad clunky.

As contest czar, I retain the right to sort and sift entries in whatever way seems fair. But here are several possible categories.

Pictures of rain: OK, we don’t receive as much as other parts of the Northwest. Still, we can count on a few semi-soakings or at least sprinkles at this time of year.

Your photo would illustrate the fact that Seattle isn’t the only place raindrops fall and perhaps hint that we appreciate ours more. Or maybe you could just show some wet kids or dogs.

Photos of in-progress bird nests: Just don’t disturb the builders.

A haiku about wild flowers: Why not?

A drawing of the quintessential Spokane kite art: Up, up and away.

Or feel free to think of your own theme.

Please though, no recycled material. I want to see new stuff.

Entries are due by April 15. That should be easy to remember.

You can submit via e-mail or regular mail. Be sure to include a daytime phone number.

There will be modest prizes.

Good luck.

•Speaking of spring: “My 7 ½-year-old daughter Kathryn woke up this morning upset that the snow wasn’t gone, the sun wasn’t shining and there were no flowers in the yard,” e-mailed Dave Meany on Friday. “She thought the first day of spring means all those things happen no matter what.”

•Della, get me Paul Drake: “Perry Mason” fan Amy Mickelson gets a kick out of seeing occasional references to that old show in The Slice. And she had a question.

She wondered if there is a TV in the S-R newsroom. “And do you ever walk in at noon and switch the channel to get your ‘Perry Mason’ fix?”

Yes, Amy, there are several TVs in the newsroom. None is near The Slice grotto, however.

I get my ‘Perry’ fix at home through the magic of DVR. Besides, if I switched off basketball at the office it might induce seizures.

•Today’s Slice question: Ever been putting on dry-skin lotion and had your cat slalom between your greasy legs?