Wow Jeanne! I love these pictures of your tree...its Magnificent with the blue lights and all the Lovely Angels. I mentioned in another post to you how I enjoy seeing Mr & Mrs Claus....as a Holiday Tradition here! Love their 'Group of Friends' too. TFS jane

Wow -- I want to thank everyone who recommended Thymes' Frazier Fir diffuser. This is our first year with an artificial tree and I really missed the smell. Knowing GW, I did a search and found this perfect thread (!); going to the Thymes' website I found a local (I mean a seven minute drive, door to door) charming shop I'd never seen before. It was incredible! And for whatever reason, they sold it to me for $30 (it should've been $60); I protested but they said "no, that's the price." So I bought a few other bibelots to ease my conscience (and it wasn't hard because it was one of those incredible shops where you want to just move in!). Right down the street from this shop a man was offering hay wagon rides, so my four and two year-olds, husband and I all hopped on and had an incredible ride around this sweet and historic downtown. Then we found an outdoor skating rink, so we rented some skates and pulled each other around. On the walk back to our car a man was handing out homemade candy canes from his candy shop. My four year-old loves candy canes! And all of these wonderful things happened to us today because the generous people here on GW shared Thymes Frazier Fir diffuser. So now I have this gorgeous smell, know about this wonderful local shop, and had a wonderful, serendipitous Saturday. Thank you!

Putting the trunk on an angle wouldn't change the crotch angle. The weight of the canopy is less than the stress wind would cause. Get a cfl and put it on the stem where you want growth. Force it to bud out. Make the tree do what you want it to. Start now and get the buds to break before spring so by next fall you will have a mostly balanced tree. Also don't let any more growth happen on the current canopy. Rub off all new branches as they grow. Only let the tree grow from the bare stem.

Maybe not if the state gets involved. They have all sorts of strategies they can take advantage of. Meanwhile, I'd get all the neighbors together and form a neighborhood or lake association and research the zoning laws. You could also go the town offices, where ever they keep records of filed permits to see if permits have been filed by either party. that's not being nosey. It is legal and enlightened self interest. The lake may be the saving grace. Get a town wetlands map and see if there are wetlands associated with the lake. Generally no development can happen with 100 ' of a wetland. I'd suggest someone 'friendly' to both parties stop by for a chat with each one and caution both of them not start building or filling or spending a cent because it is rumored the Zoning Board and Conservation Commission have taken an interest.." Well, that's obvious if the State is involved. Even if seems out of your hands, you neighbors--and especially abuttors-- should become familiar with the issues because there will be hearings where you will be allowed to speak. We had lesser issue, though not of the scope you have. The owner wanted to develop a previously undeveloped pasture with the best sunset in town. He made all sorts of "improvements" for a therapeutic horseback riding program that put up a 40 foot high white fabric indoor arena. Think gigantic quonset hut Meanwhile he paved over a small wetlands. without going through the conservation commission and made other changes without permits. A bright neighbor got us all going, and soon the conservation commission was holding hearings and the owner was slapped with a order to complete restore the wetlands &, tear up one the parking lots. the therapeutic program- as a non profit program- kept its arena because ugly is generally legal. However, they actually relocated the small wetland and it will be more sustainable and a better ecosystem than the original. The Zoning Board and Conservation Commission strongly suggested that further screening of the ugly arena would be a neighborly thing to do. The owner agreed. I encourage you and your neighbors to become more active than innocent bystanders. You have your property values at stake. Marie