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From Isolation to Inspiration: Celebrating 60 Editions of Shaking the Trees

05/12/2025 by mconnally

It is amazing that we are celebrating the 60th edition of Shaking the Trees. As we found ourselves thrown into the glum alienation of COVID, I thought it was imperative that we celebrate accomplishments and become familiar with the uniqueness of every member. For some reason, Peter Gabriel’s “Shaking the Tree” refrain came to mind. I sold the idea of a monthly highlight of people and history to bring each other together. Fortunately, other members felt the same way, and I never lacked for articles, poems, musings, and photos. Having been a newspaper columnist in one version of my life, the process and contact with others kept me sane.

So, here we are, five years later, and still going strong. My hat is doffed to Michelle and the board members, who still find the importance of such, and I am always impressed by the heart-healthy sharing of our members. We keep on stamping out ignorance and finding like interests in a 300-strong organization. Yay us!

Scissor-tailed (Butter) Flycatcher holding a Pipevine Butterfly
Scissor-tailed (Butter) Flycatcher holding a Pipevine Butterfly Photo by Balaji Devarajan
Lisa Travis teaching
Photo by Rick Travis
Photo by Rick Travis
Photo by Tom Shackleford
Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar on Passionflower
Sam Crowe – Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar on Passionflower
Stream Team Member Tom Heath Photo by Vicki Sanders
Stream Team Member Tom Heath Photo by Vicki Sanders
Yellow Crowned Night Heron Photo By John Garbutt
Yellow Crowned Night Heron Photo By John Garbutt
Fran Woodfin teaching the 2021 Blackland Prairie Chapter New Class students.
Fran Woodfin teaching the 2021 Blackland Prairie Chapter New Class students.
Alex Dubovsky at Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Alex Dubovsky at Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Vicki Sanders holding Emory the Heard Museum Rat Snake
Vicki Sanders holding Emory the Heard Museum Rat Snake
Jackie Black in her Pocket Prairie Garden
Jackie Black in her Pocket Prairie Garden
Lisa Stripling at BPRC
Lisa Stripling at BPRC
Nancy Casillas
Laura Beck holding a Bob White Quail chick.
Laura Beck holding a Bob White Quail chick.
Marcia Lucido holding a snake.
Marcia Lucido holding a snake.
George Sims standing in snow.
George Sims
Patty Tuck smiling in front of a fossil
Patty Tuck
Kathleen Hoffmann cleaning fossil.
Kathleen Hoffmann
Jim Dulian cleaning a fossil
Jim Dulian
Deborah Canterbury smiling wearing a lab jacket holding her dinosaur lunchbox
Deborah Canterbury
Smiling Volunteer Judy Rowe sitting on a bench under a tree at the Heard Museum.
Heard Volunteer Judy Rowe
Carolyn Lewis with a baby opossum at Holifield Learning Center
Carolyn Lewis with a baby opossum at Holifield Learning Center
Photo by John W Garbutt
One woman and three girls testing the stream water.
Gwen Thomas and young Junior Master Naturalists Stream Team testing in June 2014.
Dave waving and Heather Smiling in the forest.
Photo by Heather Fell
Eastern Bluebirds displaying by Brenda Clark at the Canyon Creek Wetlands
Eastern Bluebirds displaying by Brenda Clark at the Canyon Creek Wetlands
Linda Nixon with her hero, Jane Goodall
Anna 2022 Earth Day Event BPTMN Outreach Booth
City of Anna 2022 Earth Day Event with Rhonda Sanchez Ashlyn Stevens Carolyn Lewis interacting with Collin County residents at BPTMN Outreach Booth Photo by Rhonda Sanchez
BPTMN Class of 2020 Rick Park
BPTMN Class of 2020 Rick Park
Heard Fossil Lab Team in front of displayed dinosaur bones.
Heard Fossil Lab Team in front of displayed dinosaur bones.
Group of Volunteers from the Heard Plant Sale
BPTMN Chapter volunteers for the Heard Plant Sale
BPTMN Chapter Volunteer interacting with County residents at an Outreach Booth
City of Anna 2022 Earth Day Event with Ashlyn Stevens interacting with Collin County residents at BPTMN Outreach Booth Photo by Rhonda Sanchez
Alex Dubovsky
Play Frisco Outreach Booth
John W Garbutt
Rick Travis on Tree Hike
Turtle by Janice James
Frisco Northwest Community Park Volunteers - Leah Justice, Lisa Travis, Nick Ward, Michelle Norris, Jeff Witt, and Jean Suplick happy with completing another successful day of harvesting seed at NW Park
Frisco Northwest Community Park Volunteers – Leah Justice, Lisa Travis, Nick Ward, Michelle Norris, Jeff Witt, and Jean Suplick happy with completing another successful day of harvesting seed at NW Park
Kids in Nature
Young son showing off his Cottonwood leaf. Photo by Daphne Lynch
Lorelei in her favorite place
National Charity League plants 500 Milkweed Plants Photo by Scott Smith
Chattahoochee Bridge Photo by Greg Tonian
Chattahoochee River Photo by Greg Tonian
Rick Travis talking about Trees
Dave Powell and Amy Martin enjoying the grasses
Tom Shackelford giving out pins during the Covid times.


May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. –Edward Abbey

Deborah Canterbury
Texas Master Naturalist-Blackland Prairie Chapter

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Filed Under: Current News, General, Members, Shaking of the Trees Post, Shaking the Trees Tagged With: Deborah Canterbury, STT 60

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