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The Slice: Stray leaf kept contest winner on right path

We have a winner.

David and Karin Redmond, of Spokane Valley, are the winners of The Slice’s Autumn Leaves Contest.

David, for taking the picture, and Karin, for telling the story.

“David happened to have his camera one day, with plans to take it with him to an after-work event.”

He was in the Spokane Civic Theatre’s recent production of “Les Miserables.”

“In a rush to get to the theater, he left his camera on his desk and headed for his truck.”

That’s when he saw it. “This tiny leaf boldly landed in the gap of a broken line of paint, striking David as a playful juxtaposition of nature amid the hard reality of pavement. Perhaps more importantly, it reminded him to run back and get the camera off his desk.”

A few minutes later, he took the winning picture you see here today.

To see a few additional finalists, go to The Slice Blog at www.spokesman.com.

Slice answer: “Although I’ve never been told that my voice sounds like a cartoon character, your question brought back a funny memory from many years ago,” wrote Deb Hunsicker, of Sagle, Idaho. “I was at a metals recycling facility to do an environmental audit, and the environmental manager sounded exactly like Snagglepuss. I almost laughed out loud every time he spoke, and kept expecting him to say ‘Exit, stage left!’ ”

Tree whisperer: “I wanted to offer my interpretation of the needles that appeared in your column (last Sunday),” wrote North Idaho’s Bob Wilson, who knows his trees.

He has been conducting a street trees inventory for the city of Sandpoint.

“When I look at these needles (in last Sunday’s photo), they are saying ‘I am not a Fir! I am a Western Larch, although my friends call me Tamarack.’

“And they probably are saying something about winter coming too.”

Today’s Slice question: Have you ever lived anywhere where people didn’t complain about the community’s real or imagined shortcomings?

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Not everyone understands the physics of cross-country skiing.

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