I'm in paradise all of the time.

Nothing like a walk in a German woods/forest in the middle of December. With my two favorite Germans. Fritz and Dieter. And Dieter's dogs Chopin and Mary. Fritz and Dieter live in a town of 50,000 inhabitants. But the Germans are staunch and devout environmentalists. They've saved so very much of their woodlands. I suspect much of Germany still looks like it did when my ancestors from the 16th and 17th centuries walked the very paths I tread last week. A bit chilly. And slippery because of the wet leaves and mud. Dieter fell. But had a soft landing, fortunately. We ended up at a chalet. With hot coffee. And a wonderful view of a valley in the Palentine region. Makes me think that I'm in paradise no matter where I go. --Jim Broede