The Slice: It’s a good bet that all signs point to winter

The email’s subject line said “The Tao of fir.”

The body of the message included the photo you see at right. And a note from Slice reader Brian Burnham. “From the ‘I wonder if it’s just me’ department: Does anyone else wish they could read Chinese or Japanese this time of year?”

He went on. “I can’t help feeling as though I am missing some profound messages of wisdom left on the driveway by the fir trees shedding their needles.”

I’m guessing the needles say “Winter is coming, Brian.”

All’s fair: “I had to smile at your recent column about Sheila Geraghty showing her Expo ’74 pass as her ID,” wrote Cheryl Mitchem. “Not only do I still have my Expo ID, but most likely, I was the one who took the picture of Sheila for her pass.”

That was Mitchem’s first fair job. “Women tended to lie about their age, while men seemed to stretch the truth about their height.”

Sometimes you can’t believe your eyes: Fred Valentine was driving to work before sunup. “I saw in the darkness ahead of me what looked like someone being chased by a deer,” he wrote.

What the …?

“As we passed each other, I realized the person running was my friend, Cindy Kelly. Following behind was her Great Dane.”

You know she’s an Inland Northwest woman if she can …: “Build a fire,” said Lisa Julian of St. Maries.

I asked her, what kind of fire?

“Bonfire, campfire, wood stove or fireplace,” she answered.

And Pat Williams of Colbert offered this. “You know she’s an Inland Northwest woman when she can wear a flannel shirt with style.”

Ice cream and canines: “Our dog’s name was Kota (a shepherd/husky mix),” wrote Vicki Nolting. “Whenever we had ice cream, he always got a scoop in his own bowl. He also liked red licorice. He lived 13 years and now has been gone over two years, but we always think of Kota whenever we’re having ice cream.”

Today’s Slice question: Can you think of any reason why relatives would not want you to come for Thanksgiving?