Or: "Why you shouldn't decorate a 48 foot spruce tree in high winds."
We decided to make the best of our fallen tree before we chopped it up. My wife suggested decorating it with lights and I took the idea one step further. So far the folks in our neighborhood seem to be getting a kick out of it.
My father-in-law planted this spruce tree by hand when it was only 18" tall, a big wind storm took it down Friday. It has been the landmark of our front yard and marker of our driveway for decades; I'm sure that I will drive by our home many times before I learn to locate it without the tree. The tree falling onto our road was the minor problem; the big issue was that it ripped the gas meter out of the ground and severed the main gas line. To add to the excitement, my brother-in-law, his wife and children are visiting from Atlanta. I was at work and my wife was picking up our daughter from school during the initial excitement. My brother-in-law took charge and ensured that the police, fire department, gas company and plumbers were called. Our gas was out from 2:00 PM to 8:30 PM so Chinese take-out substituted our planned dinner. By the time the tree is removed the bill might surpass my monthly take-home pay, but our home owner's insurance should help out with a big chunk of the cost.
