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!!!

Thankful, But Terribly Worried this Thanksgiving - As Some Are "Blind To The Truth"

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

As this Thanksgiving was approaching - and the day finally came - I was thinking of all the things I am actually very grateful and Thankful for - But I can't help but also being Terribly Worried with some current events.

Big On Loving Nature - and Very Inspired By Nature - different things going on in Life tend to have a huge effect on me.

Going into all of them would take way too much more than one blog post - but, if you are curious you can check the "Nature" Label here on my blog for some that I have done blog posts on!

The most recent event affecting me has been the "Woolsey Fire", and the one thing I am so-o-o Thankful for today was to check that link - and find that it has finally been 100% contained.  The "Woolsey Fire" has been burning in my favorite area of the Santa Monica Mountains mostly - West of Kanan Dune Road to the Los Angeles County Line.  Boy, I have spent so many moments there since the 1980's that I cannot remember how many times - and my favorite hiking place in the Santa Monica Mountains, "Nicholas Flats" is in the "Woolsey Fire" area - and still Evacuated per today's Woolsey Fire Evacuation Map.  Also, still don't know the cause - the fire started over in Simi Valley and somehow ended up blowing all the way to the Santa Monica Mountains and some Coastal Areas.

So, Terribly Worried!!  Just Thankful that they got the "Woolsey Fire" contained - and I hope all the "hot spots" out.  With all the fires in California in forests I love - and having met Fire and Fuel Specialists and Firefighters when going to National Forest Meetings around California - I have learned much more than I ever would have thought I would about fire behavior and the forests of California.

But as a Nature Photography friend of mine said - the Santa Monica Mountains will recover - hopefully naturally regenerate where it burned - and after the Winter/Spring Rains, we may have a wildly beautiful show of wildflowers throughout the "Woolsey Fire" area!  (Got to look for something good in it all - NATURE REGENERATING!)

And speaking of Music I am Thankful for -- having been reading articles - and news about things - what really kept coming to my mind was something Singer/Songwriter Dan Fogelberg wrote a song about years ago.  Like I have mentioned in earlier blog posts - I knew him and his songwriting from our College Days at the University of Illinois - and I followed a lot of the Music he put on albums - and one of his songs on his album "The Wild Places" was something I could so, so, so identify and agree with - to the point that I borrowed his song title for this blog post:  "Blind To The Truth".

I noticed it in College -- and I found it true all throughout his albums - Dan Fogelberg had a way of reaching people with his lyrics and music.

For me, his song "Blind To The Truth" really "hit the nail on the head"!!

I am going to finish the blog post by quoting the last verse and ending Chorus of the song, "Blind To The Truth" - but you can see the full lyrics at "The Wild Places" on Dan Fogelberg's official website.

I agree with him:  

"Now there's laws that we must live by and they're not the laws of man
Can't you see the shadow that moves across this land
The future is upon us and there's so much we must do
And you know I can't ignore it and my friend neither can you"

"Unless you're...
Blind to the truth, blind to the truth
And you can't see nothin'
You're so blind to the truth, blind to the truth
But the judgment day is coming"

FOLKS!  We Really Can't Ignore It - There is So Much We Must Do! 

Curating an Artfire Collection Inspired By My Well-Known Love of Forests and All That Lives Within

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE

Inspired By Love of Forests and Their Wildlife - An Artfire Collection by RSS Designs In Fiber

It was August 2013 -- and I and many others in the world had been watching the Rim Fire in the Central Sierra Nevada - in the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park and the adjoining areas - and frightened and even loosing sleep over it, I was worried about All the Life in that Forest and the ramifications to it from the High Intensity Fire raging there.

I knew of people living in the area - actually in Twain Harte, CA - just northwest of the Rim Fire area - the people of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (known as CSERC ), run by John Buckley, who I had met at a Sierra Nevada Framework Forest Service Science Meeting on Old Growth forests.  On their Facebook Page -- and their website, I read first-hand accounts of the Rim Fire.

For me, this was a major event that was significant to me, though I didn't live there or anywhere near the Rim Fire.  But since early 1999 - and I got involved in environmental campaigns about the Sierra Nevada forests ( such as the Sierra Forest Legacy [formerly the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign in 1999] ) -- and I learned the Global significance of the Sierra Nevada Forests, part of the California Floristic Province, to Global Biodiversity, as discussed on the Conservation International website:  The World's 10 Most Threatened Forest Hotspots - which mentions the High Importance of the California Floristic Province Forests (which Includes the Sierra Nevada Forests, including the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park - and the Giant Sequoias) for Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Stabilization - I have been paying a lot of attention to many Events, as I can, in the Sierra Nevada Forests.

In other words, this Rim Fire affected a forest with importance to Global Biodiversity - therefore I see it as we should all be concerned in the Restoration after the fire!!!

So-o-o -- to express my Love of Forests and Their Wildlife and show how others express their such Love, I looked to my some of my friends who do Handmade and Fine Art -- and found various items they had made and were selling on Artfire on that theme -- and created the above Collection.

*******************************************

It is now March of 2014 -- and the Artfire Collection, "Inspired By The Love of Forests and Their Wildlife", has over 1,000 views and a few items have sold (replaced by others I had previously chosen).

I love to see creations based on Nature -- and I totally enjoyed curating this Collection!!!

The Rim Fire is in the past, though some of us are following the Recovery Projects in the different areas of it, such as on the Stanislaus National Forest website and the CSERC website.

In the 402 square miles of the Stanislaus National Forest that the Rim Fire ravaged, I am hoping for recovery based on true Ecological Forest Restoration, like that defined by the Sierra Forest Legacy -- for the health of this Forest -- and for its contribution to Global Biodiversity.  Quote from the Dec. 08, 2013 Sierra Forest Legacy Newsletter:  

We take seriously the Forest Service's commitment to ecological restoration and will be challenging them to demonstrate that their salvage logging proposals are consistent with their commitment.

Note:  after a certain number of the Artfire listings in an Artfire Collection sell, the Artfire Collection "expires" -- and disappears from the Internet.  So, I would like to thank the Artfire Artisans who created the Handmade and Fine Art items I put in this Collection -- showing their Love of Forests and Their Wildlife -- and where you can fine such types of Handmade and Fine Art!!!

Conscience Art Studios

4everbeads

Walk In The Woods LLC

RSS Designs In Fiber

Uniquely Jen Quilt Creations

The Art of Amy-Elyse Neer

Jewelry Art By Dawn

Christie Cottage

Honey From The Bee

Berkshire Bowls

Blue Morning Expressions

Specialtivity

Writing Letters to Save the Tongass National [Rain] Forest -- Again!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE
 -- and in the SHOPPING MALL by PAYVMENT on FACEBOOK



It seems like it has been going on forever - the ecological riches of Alaska - those who want to "plunder" them for short-term economic gain -- and those who are forever fighting to Save them because of their Global Ecological significance!



Though I had heard about it before, it was when I acquired the book by Robert Glenn Ketchum, "THE TONGASS ALASKA'S VANISHING RAINFOREST" (copyright 1987) in 1988 that I saw the riches of that forest in his photographs and read about his on-the ground adventures there.  Though I have never been there, this book brought me closer to what is really there.

MY PHOTO OF MY COPY OF ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM'S BOOK ON THE TONGASS

Here are two Quotes From "The Refuge of the Rain Forest" in "THE TONGASS ALASKA'S VANISHING RAINFOREST" by Robert Glenn Ketchum with Carey D. Ketchum:

"As we flew over the monumental landscape in a tiny bush plane, the greenness of the world below commanded all out attention.  Green of a richness unlike any shade of this color you have ever known.  Green of more varieties and nuances than you can imagine.  Green in every crack in every wall. Green covering the floors of the valley.  Green
even in the milky waters flowing out of the glaciers.  And everywhere that it is green, life abounds."

"Old-growth temperate rainforest once dominated the West Coast from Northern California to Kodiak Island in Alaska.  Remnants of old growth, such as the Hohn Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state, are scattered along the Pacific Coast.  But, beautiful as they are, they are only remnants.  The Tongass is a world
unto itself, and for centuries it has remained virtually undisturbed.  Now a forest that has achieved full maturity, it has reached a steady state, encompassing trees of all ages, dominated by old monarchs of large size.  Beneath their canopy, younger trees grow toward the light, ready to replace any of the giants that might succumb to wind, rot, insects, or disease.  In the understory, herbs, shrubs, and vines grow in profusion.  Old trees that die and fall open windows to the sky that are filled by the most vigorous younger trees.  Lichens and moss grow everywhere on the forest floor as well as in the canopy.  The decaying trunks of trees that have fallen become "nurse" logs, simultaneously decomposing into soil and serving as seedbeds for new growth.  Biologists refer to this as a forest of uneven age, and consider it to be the most productive and diverse."

I don't know how to communicate to the readers the vast Ecological Value of this National [Rain] Forest - except by sharing with you photos and what others have written and said about it.

 -- Here is a video from Audobon Alaska -- it says and shows the key points on protecting this Global Treasure!!                                                               

In a recent response to the recent attempts of a corporation, Sealaska Corporation, to acquire 65,000 acres of the Tongass National Forest for them to commercially log - including clear-cutting Old Growth trees - for their corporate short-term gain - apparently with no consideration for the Ecological Values of this land or with any 
attempt at conserving these Globally significant values - 300 scientists (listed in the document) wrote this "An Open Letter from Over 300 Scientists on Protecting the Tongass National Forest", which is embedded at the end of this post!



For me it is all pretty much covered in this statement in this Letter, which has a number of Footnotes referencing research and statements from prominent scientists in Forestry Resources and Research:

"When rainforests are logged, much of their stored carbon is released as a greenhouse gas pollutant during site preparation, manufacture, and transport of wood products, which in the case of the Tongass, involves long distances to the Pacific Rim. These losses are not made up by storing carbon temporarily in wood products or by  planting trees, as the on-site reduction in carbon storage from logging takes at least 200 years to return to about the same amount of stored carbon in the uncut old-growth forest."

The reference (5) for this statement in the letter is:
5Harmon ME, Ferrell WK, Franklin JF. 1990. Effects on carbon storage of conversion of old-growth forests to young forests. Science 247:699–702. -- 



 -- including a Forestry Scientist who I have known of for years - and who I have heard speak -- and even emailed with some:  Dr. Jerry F. Franklin -- so I personally feel I can trust this data!!



200 years at least to attempt to restore the same amount of stored carbon that would be released if this Old Growth in the Tongass National Forest is logged???? 


-- And I am afraid that I am not sure of any guarantees of that restoration happening it in that time - with current conditions and Climate Change, we may never be able to have this same Old Growth that they want to remove - again!!  I heard this being discussed by scientists at a Science Workshop in 1999 put on by the Sierra Nevada Framework of the US Forest Service.



We don't have the 200 years on Earth, anyway, I am afraid -- We simply cannot afford to allow such logging in the Tongass National Forest.


How much more do you want to read to be convinced??



I am writing my Senators and the President in this case -- it is said that even if they already agree with you, they need to receive comments to support and back their positions on these things -- so write I will!!




Do you want to?? -- You can!! -- Comments on public lands are allowed - and even welcomed by some - in the United States of America!!


For further Scientific and Agricultural reading -- you might want to check these papers online:

1. HOW MUCH WILL FEEDING MORE AND WEALTHIER PEOPLE ENCROACH ON FORESTS by Paul E. Waggoner and Jessie H. Ausubel
2. LIGHTENING THE TREAD OF POPULATION ON THE LAND by Paul E. Waggoner, Jessie H. Ausubel and Iddo K. Werrick
3. Higher density means world forests are capturing more carbon
4. Searching for Leverage to Conserve Forests:The Industrial Ecology of Wood Products in the United States

An Open Letter from Over 300 Scientists on Protecting the Tongass National Forest

Nature Writings - Their Influence In My Life

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE -
 -- and in the SHOPPING MALL by PAYVMENT on FACEBOOK

I don't remember the exact time when Nature - or some part of Nature became so important to me.

Was it a vivid sky filled with Sun and Blue Sky and Billowing Clouds (I have always like dramatic skies)???!!

Was it loving to go see the Bear that I could throw peanuts at when I was a little girl?

Was it that day in Summer Camp (I was about 5 years old) when they took us for a hike in a Forest Preserve in Chicago, IL and the Camp Counselor showed us the different plants along the path, including the Poison Ivy and how to recognize it and therefore avoid it, which I have never forgotten to this day???

Was it hiking in the Northern Peninsula of Michigan with my Family -- and we saw Bears?

But by the time I was in High School -- found the book, SILENT SPRING by Rachel Carson, read it and wrote a paper on it -- I was a confirmed environmentalist and Nature-Lover!!

That was the first Nature Writing that really made an impression on me from reading it myself (versus hearing about it from an adult).

Since then, I have read various Writings which could be considered "Nature Writings" on and off in my Life.  But some have had a more profound affect on me than others.  So, I decided to make a Linking Book List of those "more profound ones" and put them here on my blog (lower right sidebar).

Some are about different subjects in Nature -- or preserving it.  Some I have read every word of -- some just parts of that I could really relate to.  

For instance, most American children at some point in their education get introduced to one or another of Thoreau's writings -- and I did -- but it was seeing Quotes from his Essay, "Walking" in the book, HEAVEN IS UNDER OUR FEET, that reminded me of what about Thoreau's writings that I had seen, that I really felt. 

Walking has been a major part of my life -- I have gotten a lot of Joy from various Walks - or Saunterings - down streets and under Trees, through Forests large and small, on Cliffs overlooking Oceans and Valleys, through Wild Fields with Birds and Road Runners and Snakes and Cottontail Rabbits with Hawks overhead.

The Books on Walks and Trails and Preserves in various places in California gave me a lot of Joy -- I was able to find some of those "hidden-away" places to go Walking or Hiking.

The Leopold books gave me knowledge and answers to questions I had on the Lands and the Wildlife -- and some concepts of what to do, as did the Books on HOTSPOTS (Biodiversity) and Forest Biodiversity from Conservation Scientists.

Every book listed below has had a definite influence on me -- so I thought I would share them in a "Linking List" on my blog, so others can find them!!  Every single one of them is available somewhere online these days!!

I just hope that maybe someone who finds them - will also have Joy like I have - and maybe learn about what they can do to keep the Nature that gives so much to us!

SILENT SPRING by RACHEL CARSON

DAY WALKS IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS

TRAILS OF THE ANGELES 100 HIKES IN THE SAN GABRIELS by JOHN W. ROBINSON

CALIFORNIA WILD LANDS by DWIGHT HOLING (Nature Conservancy Preserves)

HEAVEN IS UNDER OUR FEET - A Book for Walden Woods

WALKING by Henry David Thoreau

A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC by ALDO LEOPOLD

A WALK IN THE WOODS by BILL BRYSON

SUMMERS WITH THE BEARS by JACK BECKLUND

HOTSPOTS: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions by Russel A. Mittermeier et al. 

WILD CALIFORNIA VANISHING LANDS VANISHING WILDLIFE by A. STARKER LEOPOLD, RAYMOND DASMAN, TUPPER ANSEL BLAKE   


BOOKS I HAVE READ ABOUT -- TO READ NEXT:

CONSERVING FOREST BIODIVERSITY - DAVID B. LINDENMAYER & JERRY F. FRANKLIN

HOTSPOTS REVISITED: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions - Russel A. Mittermeier et al.

(Note:  the Photographs in this blog post are taken by me, Ruth Sandra Sperling - All Rights Reserved )

Celebrating Earth Day with Nature Themes in My Designs In Fiber

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ETSY - and elsewhere online!

Cottontail Rabbit in A Bush

Well - here it is -- my most recent "Inspired by Nature" piece!  And just in time for Earth Day!!

My "Inspired By Nature" pieces are available in my online shops  - or I can do a Custom Order privately!

Though I do Nature themes all the time -- and, for me, Every Day is Earth Day -- this is a project especially for this Spring and for celebrating Earth Day 2011!

You see -- I designed it based on the real Desert Cottontail Rabbits I see in the wild fields in the town where I live (like in the field in the photo of my small town in upper left-hand corner of this blog!) -- they are grayish brown with white Cottontails -- and they run through the fields and then dive under bushes or jump down holes!!

So funny - they make me smile!

Like I said above:  Every Day is Earth Day to me!!

Most people who read my blog already know!

It is how you live -- and how you make decisions in life, such as Re-using, Recycling and therefore Reducing our waste. 

And how about Restoring? 

And getting Locally Grown produce - or at least growing your own herbs, like I do!  You can grown them inside if you have nowhere outside to grow them!

Now that Spring is really here and the below-freezing nights are over, I am pruning my herbs, which are growing more now -- and I have my first Basil plant of the year already!!  My Rosemary plant of several years is doing very well -- and my perennial herbs:  Chives, Oregano, Stevia and Mint plants are all coming back!!  It so great to have the fresh herbs just outside my door -- and fun, too!!

So, Celebrate Earth Day as a Reminder -- Every Day is Earth Day !!

Here are a few other of my Designs In Fiber that show my love of Nature!!

Tree Tapestry Pillow

Mountain Cabin Landscape in Filet Crochet

Bear Head Silhouette in Filet Crochet

Proud Rooster in Textured Filet Crochet

Tree Tapestry Home Decor

Celtic Woven Garden Suncatcher or Ornament

TO LIFE!!

Deadline for Comments on Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan - Extended

Ruth Sandra Sperling





As I have been posting here about the Giant Sequoias and the Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan - I thought I would post an Update!

The U.S. Forest Service has extended the official Comment Period for submitting comments on this Management Plan one month - until December 3rd, 2010!!

So, if you would still like to -- you can still submit your comments during an official comment period.

Being public lands, public can always make comments on the Giant Sequoia National Monument, but getting them in during official comment periods mean that your comments are counted in their evaluation for the Final Environmental Impact Statement - in this case, an official Management Plan based on President Clinton's Presidential Proclamation!

I wrote some comments in a previous blog post about my choice of Alternative - Alternative C - with some specific comments, but when I wrote my letter, I went "all-out", as they say -- it ended up 9 pages long!! I want Natural Processes restored as much as possible!!!

But this is an important issue for me - for me, all the meetings, and documents and comments by me and others have been totally worth it!! I wanted to know what was going on with this forest, which is one of my favorites of all I have been in -- and I found out!!

So, if you want to make some comments still - Go for it!!

FORESTS - Refuge, Place of Life and Joy -- Inspiration!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

FORESTS!!

All my life since I was a little girl - Forests of all sizes have been some of my favorite places to go.

When I was little, they were places to go to with Family or on Hikes with school or "day camp". My Family would go to various places on vacation -- and often some time spent in the Woods or Forest was part of it.

By the time I was in college, finding some Woods or Forest to go for a walk in was a way to "get away from it all" and find some peace -- and some joy in life! I would spend hours and hours either off in some Forest I had found - or walking through the country to get there!!

The Trees, the Wildlife, the feel of the earth beneath your feet -- there is really nothing quite like it!!

Throughout my adult years, I have traveled from coast-to-coast at different times to different places in the United States and I have been to quite a few of the Forests!!

So, when I started doing my "Designs In Fiber" (about 7 years ago), Forests and Nature seem to be a major influence in my choices of designs, subjects and colors.

So here are a few pieces that I have made over the years - Inspired (one way or another) by Forests (keep a watch out for more I want to make and will showcase on this blog)!!


MOUNTAIN CABIN IN THE FOREST

PILLOW - TAPESTRY OF A TREE AGAINST A DEEP BLUE SKY

OAK LEAVES IN THE FALL (as scattered on the ground)

HOLLY BERRIES ON IVY LEAVES (like you find around a Forest)

BRANCHES OF AUTUMN LEAVES

EVERGREEN BRANCHES IN THE SNOW

TEXTURED AUTUMN LEAVES

This Year's LOCAL HARVEST - Yummy!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers




Late June or early July is the start of the season for pick-your-own orchards - at least, where I live here in the Antelope Valley of Southern California!!

I've been there twice so far this month - it was for the Apricots!! They only have them for a few weeks early in the summer and they are absolutely one of my favorite fruits!! Picked 20 ibs of fruit both times -- and most of them were Apricots - 2 varieties. So delicious!!

Though I still have fresh ones in the fridge, I have a whole bunch of them halved in the freezer - hopefully, they will last for months!!

Also, picked a few peaches and plums!!

Boy-oh-boy!! Fresh fruit right off the tree -- nothing tastes as good!!

I HIGHLY recommend finding an orchard to go picking in, if you can find any where you live.

• Better tasting.
• Usually Better for You!
• And definitely Better for the Environment - picking locally!! They call it "Low Carbon" - less packaging, less transportation, less carbon emissions for what you buy!
  

And the quality of the fruit is so much better - doesn't compare at all to store-bought fruit!!

I admit - at this point, I am a bit spoiled!!

The local orchrds in the Antelope Valley usally have fruit on the trees through sometime in October or early November - though the Apricots are only for a few weeks, they have different varieties of Peaches, Apples, Pears and Plums at various times through the months. If you don't want to pick yourself, they usually have some fresh-picked fruit in their cold-storage, which you can just buy.

There are a vsriety of orchards that either sell on-site or let you pick yourself in the Antelope Valley -- and east of us, I believe in what is known as Apple Valley.

Check http://www.localharvest.org for what they have listed, wherever you live -- or maybe the local Chambers of Commerce can help!!

It is really really worth the time and effort to go and pick your own fruit -- some of us even think it is FUN!!!!

EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY -- My Tree Tapestry Pillow

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade Decor in Fibers on Bonanza

Tree Tapestry Pillow by RSS Designs In Fiber

This week is what is being called "EARTH WEEK" - with Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 being EARTH DAY! And it is the 40th anniversary of EARTH DAY!!

Well, I think Earth Day is a good idea -- if it is a day of celebration and education that results in Every Day being EARTH DAY!!

It is fairly easy for me, as I was brought up with a certain perspective on life about caring for our environment from the time I was a young child -- and I love Nature and what is outdoors, so, for me, whether there is an official Earth Day or not -- Every Day is EARTH DAY!!

As I have said before, Trees are one of my favorite things on Earth -- so to honor the concept of EARTH DAY -- and because I love trees -- I made the above pillow - a TREE TAPESTRY!!

It is for sale here on Etsy!!

It is in the technique of crochet tapestry or colorwork. I used 100% cotton yarn in Earthy colors - with a sky in a Teal Blue - and, as shown below, the Back of the pillow is done in a textured crochet spike stitch in solid Teal Blue.

Back of Handmade Tree Tapestry Pillow by RSS Designs In Fiber

Teal Blue is in the Turquoise family of colors -- and I have left a comment on this Home Decor article, Turquoise Inspiration 2, on Design Style Guide Community, showing it off -- as I think it could fit very well in some of the rooms pictured in this article!!

In addition to the subject of my pillow being Earthy, I bought an Eco-Friendly EcoCraft Pillow Form for it!! The fill of the Pillow Form is 100% PLA - a synthetic fiber made from the annually renewable resource - corn!! The cover of the Pillow Form is 100% woven cotton. I was really glad to find such an Eco-Friendly Pillow Form (at my local JoAnn's)!

So, I feel pretty good about this -- both artistically, as the design is totally my own -- and environmentally, as it is really an environmentally friendly product!!

To Living a Life That is Good for the Whole Web of Life!!

WINTER in my corner of the Antelope Valley of Southern California

I got worried about how the birds were doing during these winter days -- rain was forecasted and I had heard the birds in some of the trees around my semi-rural town -- so I decided to fill the bird feeder in the tree in my front yard.







--- It took a couple of days or so before I noticed any birds feeding.

It had been a while since I had filled it --- but then they found it --- first it was just one bird at a time -- the first one I saw looked like a sparrow, but then I am not that good at recognizing the different birds, so I can't say for sure -- except for the obvious red-breasted robins, blue-jays and a raven or two (but they are so big, they get the feed that is on the ground).










Then, as the time went on -- more of the bird population in our area found it -- sitting on all sides and on top -- then flying around the feeder and the tree -- looked like a little competition for a perch on the feeder --- saw a little pecking here and there!!

Now I just need to keep it filled!!!


---- Maybe .... we'll have some baby birds come spring and summer!!!



-- And then our winter rains turned to snow this afternoon, covering our yard and trees with the snow's bright white -- this only happens occasionally in my corner of the world, so it is nice to see it when it does!!

Though the San Gabriel mountains have snow on their tops any of the time from October to as late as May -- down here in the lower foothills, I have seen winters with no snow at all -- or snow that melts as it hits the ground! But this year -- a-h-h -- actually I love it, but then I get to stay home and watch it and just go out in it as I please!!

Yesterday, my Rosemary plant had blue blossoms on it -- this afternoon it was covered with snow!!








Though I have seen birds feeding in the rain -- will they come with the snow? I didn't see any this afternoon, but I wasn't always watching -- there is a little food left in the feeder!













This small group of trees on the east side of the back yard -- frosted with snow -- I often hear birds when I am back there -- where do they go in this cold snow?









I just love this view of the snow-covered trees and fence in my small semi-rural town!






-- And the design of these snow-covered branches against the winter sky somehow appeals to the abstract artist in me -- the Art of Nature!!!

Inspired by Nature --- Loving it!!!

Watch for some new Designs In Fiber in my shop .... maybe its time to do some birds ... yes, in designs in fiber!!!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

A New Year's Resolution -- to Support Activities That Can Help Slow Global Warming

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers



Global Warming -- one of the Hottest subjects around these days!!

To start off and establish my stand on this issue, I would like to quote Louis Blumberg of The Nature Conservancy California Office, who works in Forestry and Climate Change for them, from the article, "The Carbon Equation, Can Forests Save Us From Climate Change?" by Jane Braxton Little in the Winter 2009 edition of Nature Conservancy Magazine:

"Nature is our greatest ally in the fight against climate change."

Why quote him? Because that is totally how I feel and I feel that is the only realistic solution to what I call "un-natural Global Warming".

I am not always sure that people understand it overall. Some do and some don't. Climate Change to some degree happens naturally and geologically all the time on our planet. Geologically there are warming periods and cooling periods. If you read scientific journals and about Geology and about Paleontology, you will see discussions about it and varying opinions. Historically on Earth, there is documented information about warming periods and cooling periods in past centuries and eras -- and what happened as a result of these warming and cooling periods.

To some extent, some scientists are trying to make predictions based on historical occurrences on the planet -- and based on scientific documentation of evidence of Global Warming now -- such as glaciers and ice sheets melting.

The huge question seems to be -- how much of this Global Warming is natural, since the planet is in a geological warming period anyway? And how much of it can we do anything about to slow Global Warming and protect our own human habitat?

As an environmentalist, forests are some of my favorite places to go and get protected and therefore study, so I will focus on this.

Being in a warming period is significant to forestry scientists as it affects the species in the forests -- and the health of certain species in the forests and their growth -- and possibly significant changes in the makeup of a forest ecosystem - whether it is natural warming and/or the result of human-caused warming.

Various human actions on the planet affect Global Warming by increasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere -- various activites directly related to the industrial age for sure increase carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

But one of the human activites that has resulted in a high percentage of carbon emissions is that of Deforestation and Forest Degradation -- and that we can do something about. And this is the main point of this blog article.

Just looking at the fact of how much forest has been cut down over this planet in the last few centuries boggles the mind - at least mine. Looking at facts like part(s) of the Sahara Desert use to be forest that was cut down centuries ago (I don't know exactly what parts geographically) - this deforestation has been going on a long time -- and all the forests that have been and still are being cut down for building cities, towns, agricultural sites -- it looks to me like only a fraction of the original forest on our planet is left. And much did not come down naturally. As trees provide the natural benefits of holding water in the soils/lands, shading and keeping the lands cooler -- as well as storing carbon, it is obvious to me that cutting down huge areas of forest over the planet has contributed to Global Warming and that is human-caused!!

Therefore, we need to look at what we can do about it.

One of the Forestry scientists that I admire and respect for his perspective on forest, forest health and ecological integrity and forest restoration is Dr. Jerry F. Franklin, a Professor in Forest Resources at the University of Washington in the State of Washington.

I first became acquainted with his work in forestry when I became involved with the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign and their Conservation Strategy for the Management of the Sierra Nevada National Forests; this Conservation Strategy is based on the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP - http://ceres.ca.gov/snep/), which was commissioned by the United States Congress -- and Dr. Jerry F. Franklin is one of the SNEP authors. He also was one of the speakers at the Sierra Nevada Old Forests Public Science Workshop put on by the Sierra Nevada Framework for Conservation and Collaboration, Pacific Southwest Region and Research of the USDA Forest Service on August 24-25, 1999 at UC Davis -- which I attended.

Earlier this year, I emailed Dr. Jerry F. Franklin particularly about his opinion regarding the role of forests in dealing with Global Warming -- and I got his permission to quote him:

"Ruth: Actually we have a much greater percentage of the forest remaining on the
planet than 4% although I cannot tell you the exact percentage. Certainly the
forests do help cool things but, preversely, they may also help warm the planet
as well, due to the fact that they have such a low albedo -- i.e., they retain
most of the energy that they absorb from the sun. It really is very complicated
and I don't think that we have it all figured out yet. Certainly, we should not
be cutting down any of our remaining old-growth forests in the moist temperate
regions and in dry forest regions, like much of the Sierras, we should be
retaining all of the old trees and trying to grow more big old trees, as well,
since they are likely to be more resistent to both wildfire and climate change.

Planting trees is certainly a good thing to be doing and they certainly
can modify the environments in places that we live as well as help modify carbon
balances and climate throughout the globe. Fundamentally a good thing to do. On
the other hand, it is very important to do some active forest restoration in the
Sierra Nevada because many of the forests in your area are simply too dense for
their own good. Any restoration should retain the old trees and, even more,
enhance their potentiall for survival by removing fuels and competing vegetation
around the existing old trees. There is a very good recent PSW Research Station
General Technical Report by Malcolm North and others that has some very good
recommendations for restoring the mixed-conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada.
Jerry"

I noted here in his statement that not only planting trees is important, but proper management of the forests -- to not be too dense and to "enhance their potential for survival by removing fuels and competing vegetation around the existing old trees" -- this is something I learned about when listening to forestry scientists talk about "protecting Old Growth", which also means encouraging "Old Growth characterisitics", which in many cases will require the removal of smaller, undergrowth trees and the competing vegetation (as Dr. Jerry F. Franklin states) to allow the larger trees to grow even larger -- as well as not removing the Old Growth, which is the popular environmental stand! It is faster-growing trees with large canopies that will naturally store carbon through the natural process of Photosynthesis.

There are various projects and studies going on -- and with the advent of the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR) and California Assembly Bill 32, it looks like carbon offset programs by protecting and managing private forests for "forest carbon offset credits" may result in more.

One such forest project being managed is in fact a forest restoration project which The Nature Conservancy got involved with as a partner by paying for a Conservation Easement on a working forest prohibiting future development and managing this forest for restoration and carbon-sequestering potential. It is presently a relaitvely young Northern California Coastal Redwood forest that has been commercially logged again and again in the past by timber companies - but the fast-growing young trees in this Coastal Redwood forest have a huge potential for storing carbon as they grow per scientific analysis -- and this is proving to be a successful source of forest carbon credits. It is the "Garcia River Forest Project" -- my information is from The Nature Conservancy article quoted at the beginning of this blog post, which is online at http://www.nature.org/magazine/winter2009/features/index.html -- and from The Nature Conservancy website: http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/work/art23798.html .

One solution -- support Forestry Projects such as this to slow Global Warming!!

Another Solution from The Nature Conservancy -- Plant A Billion Trees in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil: http://www.plantabillion.org/ (the widget for this is on the left here on my blog!!)

Another solution, this one from Conservation International -- support the Actions being taken by Conservation International to Stabilize Climate through their programs for "Protecting forests and other ecosystems as a solution to climate change" as given at http://www.conservation.org/learn/climate/Pages/overview.aspx :

1. Saving Forests http://www.conservation.org/forests
2. High Forest Cover, Low Deforestation (HFLD) http://www.conservation.org/learn/climate/pages/climate_change_hfld.aspx
3. Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) http://www.conservation.org/learn/climate/pages/climate_redd.aspx

TAKE ACTION BY PROTECTING AN ACRE OF FOREST THROUGH CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FOR $15 http://www.conservation.org/protectanacre

Also, one of my favorite solutions to suggest to people to help with reducing some carbon emissions in their everyday lives -- is to buy and do Handmade!! There are so many ways to do this!!

Handmade causes much lower, if any, carbon emissions.

My Handmade crocheted and knitted items (for sale at http://rssdesignsinfiber.etsy.com/ ), made by either natural light or various forms of energy-saving flourescent lighting, certainly results in less carbon emissions than the similar items that are mass-produced on machines which generate lots of carbon emissions. There are many places where you can buy Handmade online - I am on http://www.etsy.com/, which is a website for Sellers and Buyers of Handmade, Vintage and Supplies for Handmade.

Also -- I encourage Local Harvest and getting foods locally as much as possible as that is part of a "low carbon" life, also!!

Resolutions can be a good thing -- they are postulates for what you choose to do in your life -- New Year has been a popular time of the year to make them, though I personally believe you should not limit yourself to just then to make Resolutions for living a better life!!

And I can't think of a better New Year's Resolution than to find ways to live your life and support activities that can help SLOW Global Warming!!