by Chava Hudson

It's a crazy world, worsening, deteriorating, melting even – a world where politicaions think they live in a rain forest, and chiildren are shot on their doorsteps or in classrooms. In this issue, I'm not exploring that kind of jungle - we get enough of that in the news. It's still a world where we can make choices, and I may be delusional, but I'm not without hope. Although you can't ignore the state of the world, I can still chose to find joy in it, and often that joy is from the arts. And we can chose to make a difference. If you love animals and want to see what you can do to protect them, visit The Fund for Animals and http://www.eggindustry.com/

As jungley as this issue gets is featuring the gorgeous animal photos by Katherine Cummings. I'm celebrating essence of the jungle, the lush unexpected pools and rich colors, both in music and art. Enjoy Karen Aqua's delightful animal imagery and Eric Ginsburg's mostly canine portraits, where there is no doubt about personality. Willie Alexander has making rock and roll for 40 years, with playful spontaneity. This is music that you play while swinging from a vine. Please enjoy the samples on the music page.

In this issue you'll find wonderful poetry, short stories, and music. I hope you'll enjoy this issue. Although I'm not a "real" photographer, I've included a few of my favorite photos on this page for your enjoyment.