They could well be dead trees left there for decoration. :) (We've got loads of large dead fir stumps from the old logging days dotted around ... they look lovely all covered in moss with salal and huckleberry sprouting out of them.) :)
Carol.... this is a normal sky in the UK, more often than not. It doesn't always lead to a storm for us. Is Pennsylvania usually blue skies all the time?
They could be pruned telegraph poles. LOL
They just haven't grown at all in the almost 15 months that I've looked at them. I really think they were over zealous with the secateurs!