You all remember Christmas at Candy's House, right? When they moved back from Hawaii, she moved over 22 fake christmas trees. She picked them up at yard sales, and where ever. She also decorated at LEAST three churches and a senior center. She KEPT THEM ALL!!! Their house is attached to an airplane hanger (thank heavens) and she has boxes and boxes and boxes and MORE boxes of Christmas stuff. She uses her full size, seat 12 dinning room table to set up her bi-level Christmas villiage with train, ice skating rink, creche, and every single building from the Manger to the Soda Drive In... Her main house tree has hard wired lights with snap in attatchments that spin, on a base that spins, I think with music... I bought her 6 blown glass palm trees to go with her themed platform decorations. Oh, I forgot to mention the handmade diaramas affixed to snow covered shirt board with all the McDonald characters from movies (Star Wars, Lilo & Stitch, oddles of ones I have forgotten) interspersed around the base of the tree where there is more 'seeing' room. Yes, Candy is Crazy. But we still love her, and don't let her OVER the CEILING decorations intimidate me one bit. I just don't invite her to my house for Christmas! Oh, did I mention the Lalique creme and gold porcelain displays, and the total crystal Christmas buffet???

I was going to do that at one point. I wanted two, one for each outside corner of my deck. You will need to get a evergreen that is slow growing and cold hardy to zone 2. If it's very cold hardy, you could probably get away with not wrapping it in winter. I was growing a white pine, that I got from the cities tree for a tree program, in a pot, and it tolerated all sorts of abuse and neglect. Eventually, I got tired of it because white pine isn't the best subject for pot culture because it is too open. Every 2-3 years you need to take it out of the pot, prune the roots and replace the soil. Depending on how big you want it to be, this can be somewhat challenging. There are a lot of nice mini everygreens that would be easier to manage, but you will still need to root prune and replace soil at some point. I have supplied a link to a site that sells dwarf conifers. Maybe you can find something there that interests you. Also, have you been reading over at the conifer forum? Those people seem to really know their stuff and are dedicated to species. Here is a link that might be useful: Small conifers

Oweeee, my mouth is watering and I have already HAD breakfast! These menu ideas and traditional menus are awesome. It�s so interesting to see what everyone has for their traditional meals at this holiday! Since my family members are scattered all over the place in different locations, we are not having any type of traditional meal, and I�ve been in a sour mood because of this separation during the holidays. We will have only our youngest son here with his new wife visiting from Chicago, and she eats only vegetarian, so I�m trying to come up with menu ideas that will please her, as well as DH and son, who are big meat eaters. Will probably do some type of local fish, to please son who can�t find it in Chicago, and lots of yummy vegetable sides. Suggestions are always welcome! All your menus sound wonderful!

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