After sitting through yet another major storm and blackout two nights ago I have to wonder at the state of the climate and whether or not this is an unusual era or whether or not this has been happening all along throughout all history. Is it that the population plants houses and businesses in the path of the “weather”, on the banks of floodplains, on ocean fronts where hurricanes wander, under massive trees that can crush a life in an instant? Or is it simply that weather happens and will go on happening no matter where we might choose to settle? How do we prepare for these instantaneous events without succumbing to doomsday scenarios and end of the world trash talk? There has been so much written and reported in the press these fine days about climate change and the twisted non-ecological unconsciousness of the herd. Is this simply another ploy by the press to find readers and listeners, to sell more “news”, to focus blame and fear on someone else, or is it Madison Avenue searching for the next best thing, the next best gadget, so to speak, to occupy the lives of the six billion plus? Where do we stand as Permaculture practitioners in all we do? How many of us are actually eating out of the gardens and forests within reach of the back door? Are we prepared? Ready? For the best and worst? Or are we simply living the good life: functional relationship between stones, plants, animals and humans?