No matter where you live, there are almost always risks associated with weather. In central Canada, summer thunderstorms can be very dangerous, in California there are the fires of late summer and early fall, and in coastal British Columbia, the winds of late fall and winter. Last Wednesday was what one might call a wind event on Bowen Island — power out for a day and a half, and in our own case, a maple and a hemlock smashing across our driveway and through our power lines. The point of this commentary is merely to acknowledge both the benefits and the risks of living amongst very large fir, cedar, hemlock, alder and maple — and to thank those who came to help restore what we often take for granted. Hats off to the folks from B.C. Hydro, Shaw, Telus, and my neighbours Al and Ethan Leigh.