Dave, something happened to that specimen in the past. Probably it's leader got damaged and it started to make several instead. You've to do some surgery if you want to avoid snow damage in the future...cut the two "side leaders" off and you'll see that it will recover after a while. I don't understand that such ugly/not true to it's shape plants will come on the market. If I had such, they went straight to the dump pile... This is how it should look like: Picea orientalis 'Losely'

Annie - Our population of the critters plummeted a few years. Apparently there was a disease that went through the local colony (?). Their population is coming back up. And although a lot of people don't like them, that is a good thing.

Caroline is going to head out from ND, and I'm starting out from Maine; Can you get there before we do? Is it still available? I'm bummed that so much of the great stuff you find is gone. :-( The price is excellent if it's as good in person as in the dark pics. Run; don't walk, Woman!

Oh my goodness! That would have freaked me out. That was a big one! Speaking of freaking out! I just moments ago opened my door to go outside and thank God I was praying attention because between the door and the metal screen door was a SNAKE! It was then trying to climb up the screen door. I screamed and slammed the door shut. My cleaning ladies that were right behind me screamed and we all started doing the snake dance. I got brave and opened the door and the screen door and it turned to come inside. I stomped my foot and it turned to the outside and took off. It may have gone in the garage. I was able to get a good look at it and luckily it was a garter snake. Buy we have been having so many copper heads around the neighborhood lately I was afraid that it was one of those. So we are fine, snake is fine, we just had to sit down for a few minutes lol.