Tree shown in last photo has been ruined and should be cut down. Sudden large reductions in crown sizes of trees well along in age throw them out of balance and can be ultimately fatal.

thanks, well, back to the drawing board. how much limb removal can a tree tolerate? the tree's in my back yard are starting to worry me. the last time i had a tree company over, they assured me they weren't going anywhere but some of their limbs are in my neighbors yards. the company also mentioned a new city/county policy prohibiting them from cutting them down.

If the neighbors aren't griping don't worry about your trees.

I'm curious, 300.....what do you think of the appearance of that trimmed tree?

airy? but what will it look like next year? the trees (3) in my yard are squeezed into a 40' lot. when my folks bought this house (1968) the oaks where only 15-20' tall and have since outgrown their welcome. i think what we'll end up doing is having the two outer trees removed? and have the remaining tree thinned. the shade they provide is nice.

More like "scary". Think of the statue of Venus with its missing arms.

well it looks like they (tree people) came back and finished the old guy off. i noticed it yesterday.

Hence the excessive cutting previously. Might have been deemed hazardous due to the forking of the original main trunks into two.