Happy Thanksgiving 2019 - Thankful for the Rain and Snow in Southern California Today!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

This Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 2019 was a little different in the High Desert of Southern California where I live!  I woke up to a lawn and yard covered in that white stuff - SNOW!!!

Actually, I was thrilled!  

We need precipitation in Southern California - the forecast was for rain, but I had heard on the news Tuesday night that the snow level could drop to the 2000 foot level in Southern California -- and according to the NOAA, where I live in Quartz Hill is at the Elevation of 2513 ft.! ~~~ I figure that if we are getting this much snow, that the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernadino Mountains of Southern California will have 1-2 feet of snow -- and snowpack this winter --- and also that the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, which is a major indicator for the whole state of California will have some feet of snow -- and good snowpack for this winter, which makes me shout WooHoo!!!

It is about 8 PM -- and my yard is still white - covered with snow - and can't but wonder how long it will last.  The NOAA forecast for my location tonight is for a low of 32 - with Wind Chill Factor Factors at 20 - so I expect I will wake up to some snow Friday Morning with the Wind Chill Factor below freezing until 11AM or Noon - but with a high of 44, it may all be melted by Friday afternoon.

Decided I had to take some pictures of my yard - front and back - so, here they are!

This is my Back Yard today -- Behind my building where I live is a little Urban Forest that I love!

-- And I took a closeup of the tree in the right of the above photo to clearly show the snow on the branches:

My building (not the one showing in the photo - it is the building to the right) has an Apple Tree (where I picked Apples this late Summer/Fall) - and here it is covered with Snow!!!

And here is the Pine Tree right in front of my apartment - with snow on it:

And -- it snowed on my Rosemary Plant in my little container garden in my assigned Flower bed outside my apartment!!!  Got this photo, but it is a little blurry -- I did not want to go out waking in the snow, so I took the picture through my apartment window (the grid showing over the photo I think is the window glass registering on my photo).  I think the snow is very good for it, as it is an Evergreen Leaf Plant -- and it is a Mediterranean climate plant - and that climate has wet winters - so  this snow is good for the ecosystem I live in - including for the Biodiversity here!!!  (Forests here in California are in the California Floristic Province, a Biodiversity Hotspot !)

So, I am very Happy this Thanksgiving - I'm enjoying staying home and watching the snow - and snow fall outside my apartment!!!

Fall Leaves TableTop Decor - Handmade By RSS Designs In Fiber

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

My Whole Life I have loved Nature -- and some of the most beautiful are the turning Leaves in Fall in a riot of colors: Golden Yellow and Orange and Orange Reds and Coppery Reds and Browns.  Growing up in the Midwest USA, I loved seeing all the lovely colors in the Trees every Fall Season!

So-o-o, it is not surprising that Leaves in colors they turn in Fall ended up in my Handmade Crochet!

My newest Crochet Creation is this Table Runner with a Square Center with Irish Crochet Leaves in Fall Colors - Border with a Dark Brown - with Crocheted Chevrons on 2 sides echoing the colors in the Square .... 20 Inches Long by 9 Inches Wide:

Here is a matching set of Crochet Coasters (or small decorative Coasters) - with 2 shaped as Maple Leaves and 2 shaped as Oak Leaves .....

.... And here is a 14 Inch Square with Solid Orange Irish Crochet Leaves - 8 of them - "Openwork Crochet", where your furniture or table cloths show through.

These are 2 Crochet Designs that I sold in my Etsy Shop with Crocheted Fall Leaves ... email me if you would like to request them in a Custom Order.

Fall Colors Handmade Decor - with Orange In It - By RSS Designs In Fiber

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

Handmade I've Made At RSS Designs In Fiber That Has Orange In It!

This is a Made-To-Order Etsy Listing for this Set of 5 Pumpkin Coasters - You can also email me to get a different set of these Pumpkin Coasters

This is a Made-To-Order Etsy Listing for this Set of 2 Orange and Cream Tweed Potholders - For a Set of more of these Potholders, email me for a Custom Order.

Orange and Browns Potholder Set of 2 - Handmade By Ruth Sandra Sperling at RSS Designs In Fiber

Yellow and Orange Lace Art Mug --
With Photo of Lace by RuthSandraSperling

Wishing For Peace On Another Time I Will Never Forget

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber

Wishing For Peace Always!!!

Ever since I was a little girl, growing up in a Family that did not believe in violence as a solution for anything - there were always times in our lives when I was taught "Never Forget".

And throughout my life - more times to "Never Forget" got added.  They were always times of some kind of violence and destruction and incredible sadness.

And for me - Always times to Wish For Peace !!

Above is a Photo of a Crocheted Picture of a Dove carrying an Olive Branch - traditionally a "Bird of Peace" - that I made.

So, today - on 9/11/2019 - I have decided to again speak out for Peace !!

On Nov. 25, 2011, I wrote a blog post:

" THANKS - And A Voice For Peace", where I quoted a song written by Singer / Songwriter, Dan Fogelberg -- and here is just a few lines from the chorus of that song, "A Voice For Peace":

"Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Oh let mime (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let it start here with me

Oh let mine be a voice for peace"

So-o-o, let me say on this day, 9/11/2019, another day to "Never Forget" --

Never, Never Forget to Wish, Voice and Act for Peace!!!

My Handmade That Sparkles - With Beads or Metallic Fibers

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

Since the mid-2000's I've been doing Artistic Fine Thread Crochet -- and somewhere along the way I discovered a way to add accents to this crochet by crocheting in different kinds of Beads and Metallic Fibers!!  

There are both Decor pieces - and Personal Accessories - some could be either!

Nice for Holidays -- or just for personal celebrations - the Sparkle from Beads or Metallic Threads add something special to these Handmade items!

Here they ones available in  my RSS Designs In Fiber Etsy Shop as of today.

The First Section is the Beaded Ones.

This is my most recent completed project - a White Irish Crochet Heart made with DMC Pearl Cotton and Small White Pearl Beads:

--- And matches this White 3D Rose Doily with Pearl Beads inside each 3D Rose:

A Bright Fiesta Red Irish Crochet Heart with White Pearl Beads:

A Deep Garnet Red Irish Crochet Heart with Red Beads:

A Purple 3D Irish Crochet Flower Pin or Brooch - or Applique - with Lavender Glass Seed Beads:

Necklace and Earrings Set with Aqua Blue Glass Beads and Pendant:

The Second Section has the Ones with Metallic Fibers - Silver, Gold or Bronze

Sparkling Table Runner crocheted with a Sparkling Metallic White Crochet Thread:

Sparkling 3D Flowers on Tan Lace Table Topper - with Gold Filament:

--- and in this Closeup you can see the Gold Blending Filament on the Thread including the 3D Flower of the above Table Topper:

Set of 2 Red Rose Doilies with Gold Metallic Accents:

--- and here is a closeup where the Gold Metallic shows clearly on the edging of the Red Rose Doily!

A Pictorial Filet Crochet Doily of a Couple Dancing - with Silver Accents on White:

So here are my Handmade pieces with Sparkle!  I did my best to show each piece well in each photo - for a couple of them with Metallic Fibers - I included Closeups that show the Metallic Accents! ~~~ Ruth Sandra Sperling of RSS Designs In Fiber

Handmade Laptop Sleeves for Back To School - By RSS Designs In Fiber

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

One of the Handmade items I have been making for years is a Laptop Sleeve - Knitted or Crocheted with yarns!

These can be great for safely carrying a Laptop to School - so they make a great accessory for Back To School!!!  Below the top 2 photos are available to buy - the third is my own personal one. 

These Laptop Sleeves are Knitted or Crocheted in Double Strand Yarn -- and are great for protecting a Laptop Sleeve or Tablet -- and they are in delightful colors!

~~~ I can always do a Custom Order - Customer can specify the Size, Colors, Yarns! ~~~

This one below is the most recently made one - HandKnit with Caron Simply Soft Yarns in Green and Light Blue - a Tree Tapestry - and it is available in my RSS Designs In Fiber Etsy Shop!

This second one is Hand-Crocheted in an Earthy Ombre Yarn with a Green Yarn -- See all the details in my RSS Designs In Fiber Etsy Shop!

Here is a photo of my own Personal Laptop Sleeve that I have had for years -- it is the same style as the top one, but with no Tapestry picture knit in -- I have used it for years and it is still great!

A Customer can always contact me with questions -- and specifications -- if they want something like one of these Laptop Sleeves for their own use - or they can go to my RSS Designs Etsy Shop and request a Custom Order!

Fiesta Red Beaded Irish Crochet Heart to Brighten Up Summer Romance

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

Hand-Crocheted in a Bright Red Thread with White Pearl Beads in Romantic Irish Crochet - this small Heart can be used either as Decor -- 

---- or make it a Jewelry Pendant with a light chain or ribbon through the loop at the top!!

Bright Colors for Summer!!!

Here is some more of my Created Designs to Brighten Up your life with Bold, Bright Colors!

I Agree - No Pebble Mine in Alaska! See A Video!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
--- For RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately


I have been reading about the proposed "Pebble Mine" in Alaska for years now.  Right away I was against it, but then I heard about it from Conservation Photographer, Robert Glenn Ketchum -- and have seen a number of his stunning photographs of the area in which they are proposing to put such a Mine.

See Robert Glenn Ketchum's Blog Series about Stopping the Pebble Mine here: http://rbtglennketchum.blogspot.com/search/label/BLOG%20%27No%20Pebble%20Mine%27

I have never made it to Alaska - though I thought about it years ago, but Robert Glenn Ketchum has spent time in Alaska - I first got his book about the Tongass National Forest and his activism there years ago - see his blog series on that here:  http://rbtglennketchum.blogspot.com/search/label/BLOG%20%27Tongass%20National%20Forest%27


Here is a Video from the NRDC - National Resource Defense Council - an effective environmental group I really got familiar with during the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign (now Sierra Forest Legacy ) back in the late 1990's - early 2000's in California - as they were a major legal force in that campaign - including the Giant Sequoia National Monument Public Process, which I blogged about years ago .

But This is a Video about another major issue the NRDC is a major legal force on - the proposed "Pebble Mine" - and this Video deals with a major problem with the proposed "Pebble Mine" in Alaska - major Earthquake Problems, as the area in which they propose to put the mine has high seismic activity, which I read about somewhere years ago.  I, personally, totally agree with the NRDC and Robert Glenn Ketchum on stopping the "Pebble Mine" totally - as I think it would be total folly to create such a mine - for a whole lot of reasons at this point - and reading what the NRDC and Robert Glenn Ketchum have to say about it the best thing you can do (I am not going to try to re-say what they have said much better than I ever could). 

You also might want to follow Robert Glenn Ketchum's Facebook Page, "No Pebble Mine":  https://www.facebook.com/pg/NoPebbleMine.photos/posts/

There is also a webpage on the NRDC website with all kinds of information on what has gone on with the battle to save Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine with its 50 Million+ wild fish in the runs there annually - world's greatest wild salmon fishery!!
Stop the Pebble Mine:  https://www.nrdc.org/stop-pebble-mine-save-bristol-bay

But right now, I recommend you watch this video for some accurate information about this major problem with the proposed "Pebble Mine" - get a good idea why it should not be done from this video - and If you feel like doing some Activism - there is a link at the end of the description of the video to a page at NRDC for sending a comment letter. -- I already sent a comment letter there myself.

I think the already existing, high successful Alaskan Salmon Fishery, which is where the "Pebble Mine" is proposed, is much more important than the proposed damaging open pit mine for more Gold and Copper, which I think we can live without.

Watch this Video!!!

Love Animals! See Wild Eagle Nest Live Cam from Big Bear in California

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

With my Love of Animals - Both Wildlife and Pets - if you have read anything I have written about that online, you will understand how much I LOVE this Live Cam of a Wild Bald Eagle Nest in Big Bear, California!!!

It is on You Tube:  https://youtu.be/5b2dUgK6VV4  

I have watched it several times since discovering it - with the Eagles doing different things.

You can check it at any time!

I live in the Antelope Valley - southwest of Big Bear and on the southern side / slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains - and a few times, when walking in the fields in Pearblossom - I was sure that I saw either an Eagle or Falcon or other such large bird way up in the sky - I figured that those large birds probably lived in caverns or trees in the Mountains.

But this is the first confirmation I got of Eagles living in and nesting in the Mountains of Southern California - Big Bear, California, where this Eagle Nest is - is in the San Bernadino Mountains - east of the San Gabriel Mountains, where I live.  I spent a week one December winter years and years ago in Big Bear - nice any time of year with a very nice drive up to there - but in mid-winter, like December, it is often covered in snow -- it was that week I was there.  

Apparently, if it is snowing, you can sometimes see it snowing on this Eagles Nest - since it is Live.

I tend to reflect the things I love in Life in my Arts and Crafts - here is a White Eagle I crocheted years ago in Filet Crochet (it sold, too)!

And here are a few more Filet Crochet pieces of Animals that I have made: