Residents gathered Saturday in a Minneapolis neighborhood for an annual ritual — the sharpening of a 20-foot tall No. 2 pencil.

The gigantic pencil was sculpted out of an oak tree that was damaged in a storm a few years ago when fierce winds twisted the crown off. The homeowners created a sculpture out of their tree. They envisioned a whimsical piece of pop art that people could recognize, but not a stereotypical chainsaw-carved, north-woods bear. Given the shape and circumference of the log, they came up with the idea of an oversized pencil standing tall in their yard.

So they enlisted a wood sculptor to transform it into a replica of a classic Trusty brand No. 2 pencil.

The sharpening ceremony on their front lawn has evolved into a community spectacle that draws hundreds of people, co

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