The Afghan is Growing, so are The Wisteria

As you can see, Jeweled Lines continues to grow.  It now measures 33 x 58.  I'm over the half way point.  Somewhere in the middle of the widest amethyst section is the half way point.  So that section is completed and next wee green section is done and I'm about half way through the goldish section.  Then it will be back to the dark green, turquoise etc, making my back down in reverse order.

I've actually been knitting less, because I've become a bit more mobile.  Ever so slight.  I've actually started walking a wee little bit outside on days when I'm not in physical therapy.  I managed 6 blocks today.  Whew, hate to admit it; but am really feeling it.  Then did my exercises.  So, if you're following my Walking 4 Fun badge in the right sidebar you'll see I'm making progress..........slowly.  Currently walking a virtual trail in Seattle that has been fascinating.  Once finished with that trail (just a couple of hundred miles) I will head back to the very long Pacific Crest Trail where I've walked it seems forever.  Off and on, because everytime there's a more interesting trail I change, lol.

**Joining Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching**

I really like Judi Dench, but am so far luke warm on this series.  I'm watching it.  But, unlike many on my previous list, I do not think about it when not watching it.  It seems very slow so far.  I'll play through awhile, because I don't have a whole of other choices right now on my to watch list....I'm not sure I would recommend it, but on the other I don't dislike it and plan to continue.  Just not with lots of enthusiasm I guess.

I am clueless about art, other than I know when I look at something whether or not I like it.  I like this!  I like the feel of it, I like the colors.  It's titled, Our Wisteria.  I like that as well because my parents backyard was focused around their Wisteria.  A friend of mine who loves art, and knows art often posts things on his facebook page and that's where I spotted this.  The painter is German born, Jean Mannheim.  She was born in Germany in 1963 and died in California in 1945.  Doing a google search, I think I like most of her work.  Just thought I'd share this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Google Rankings AND

I've not blogged yet about The Crown or

Call The Midwife OR

Land Girls.  

These were all series/shows I watched earlier.........before the broken leg.  Some on girls trips and some on a winter vacation to Hilton Head while hubby was playing golf.  I'll back track to these in a few days, as I'm continuing to knit Jeweled Lines as I elevate and ice my foot.

I wanted to post rankings from Google which I found interesting.  These rankings are simply where people on google give a thumbs up or down.  I would have preferred a middle ground on a few when I did my own rankings.  I've added the links to the blog posts where I chatted about these shows if you're interested in a bit more info...or why I liked or didn't.

Tulip Fever, which I didn't care for got a google ranking of 76%.  

Upstairs Downstairs I would probably rate about the same as google 87%

The Duchess was rated 88%, I would probably agree with that.

Larkrise to Candleford I would rate higher than google did at 93%.  I was sorry to see this series end.  I enjoyed it a lot.  I liked all the characters except The Thomas Character.  He really annoyed me.  I kept wanting to say shut up to him.  I was also disappointed Robert Timmons wasn't in the last season.  I wonder if it's because filming perhaps over lapped with Downton Abbey where his character was Mr. Bates?

Poldark I would also rate higher than google did at 93%  I LOVED this series and am most anxious for the 4th season to come to the states, possible fall of 2018.

Grantchester was also rated at 93% on google, I enjoyed it...but have rated it slightly lower.  It's entertaining, but I had a hard time with the premise of a Clergy being a solver of mysteries  and such a heavy drinker.

Doctor Thorne was rated 94%.  I watched one episode and didn't return to watch the remainder so ....would definately not agree with this ranking..........then again, maybe it got better and I would rank it better if I watched the whole thing?

Victoria was also rated 94% by google.  I would not rate this higher than Polark or Larkrise to Candleford.

Downton Abbey was also rated 94%, I would rate it higher than Victoria.  

**Land Girls was rated 94%, think I would probably agree with that, once I figure out my top down ratings.

Home Fires was rated at 95% by google.  I really really like Home Fires, hated the ended as it left you up in the air because additional episodes were planned and then it was cancelled.  Debating how closely I would rank Home Fires and Downton Abbey, and Larkrise to Candleford.

The Grand...was also rated 95%.  It was good, but again don't believe I would rank it as high as Home Fires or higher than Downton Abbey and or Larkrise to Candleford.

**Google rated both The Crown and Call The Midwife at 95%.  There are new episodes since I last watched Call The Midwife, I believe one more series so, will have to think about those ratings.

The Crimson Field was rated 96%  Debating here, yes higher than The Grand, and maybe tied with Home Fires?

Manor House was rated 96%...don't agree with that at all.  It's interesting, but definately not as good as The Crimson Field, or Home Fires or Down Abbey, or Poladark or Larkrise to Candleford.

• Poldark
• LarkRise to Candleford and Downton Abbey possibly tied
• Home Fires & The Crown & Call The Midwife
• Victoria & Crimson Field & Land Girls
• The Grand
• Grantchester
• Upstairs Downstairs
• The Duchess
• Manor House
• Tulip Fever

The only one I would not recommend is Tulip Fever.  Jury is out on Doctor Thorne since it didn't entice me to watch more than one episode.

Watching Lark Rise to Candleford, Knitting Jeweled Lines Afghan

Jeweled Lines is growing..added green, gold-ish, another small section of green and now back to amethyst.  The section of Amethyst I'm currently working on is the half way point.  This section will be larger than the other sections and then will do a repeat of what's been done so far.  Measures 27 inches at the moment.  10 Inches longer than the last photo.

A bit hard to see the newer sections in the first photo, as I stopped last night without being at the end of a row, so I couldn't lay it out very flat...thus the bunching.  Tried this sideways view and believe you can see the addition a bit better.  My debate as this point is whether to make the Amethyst section solid, or stop half way through and add another section of the turquoise and the amethyst.  Thoughts?  I was so worried about having enough yarn I added the dark green and gold-ish.  Eyeballing it now, I might have been ok with the amount of yarn I had...but you just don't know when you're winging it.

Lark Rise to Candleford.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series.  I'm currently in season 4 and highly recommend it.  Robert Timmons (2nd from right Brendan coyle was one of my favorite characters Mr. Bates in Downton Abbey.  And Mini (Ruby Bentall 2nd from left was Verity Poldark in the Poldark Series).   In my next blog post, believe I'll give some thought to ranking these series I've been watching while not very mobile due to my broken foot.  I know this series will be very close to the top, if not the top.

If you watched Call The Midwives you probably recognize Nurse Phyllis (Linda Basset) lower left.  I am enjoying her more in this role as Queenie.

I have officially been given the go ahead to say good bye to this Ortho Boot!  I've been several days now without it.  I drove the other day for the first time in months.  The bone itself really won't be totally healed for about 4 more months.  I can do pretty well indoors, but am to stay away from walking in yards, and un-even terrain.  AND, if I know I'm going to be doing substantial amounts of walking I should put the boot on.  Will be continuing with PT for another month twice a week, as we work to build some strength and range of motion.  I haven't yet gone for a walk, might try around the block today if hubby has time to go with me.  It's a process, but am indeed making headway.  Thanks for all the good wishes.

Jewel Lines Knitting as I Search for More British TV Series.

Jeweled Lines continues to grow.  I've added a couple more sections since the last photo.  Looks like the tape flipped over, but believe at this stage it measured 17 or 19 inches.  I will soon be adding a new color.  A different shade of green I found that's the same weight and type of yarn.  When added that will make the 5th color.

I started this series feeling very optimistic and excited, as it's  created by Julian Fellowes, the same Julian Fellowes who created Downton Abbey.  I started it, watched I think one episode and have NOT returned to it.  Perhaps it gets better?  I dislike the commentary that takes place with someone telling you how good it is.  Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mood when I started it?  It got mixed reviews.  Maybe I'll return to it after watching some others I have on my watch list on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

Have you watched it, and if so did you enjoy it?

This is my electric frothier.   Hubby purchased this for me after fixing my coffee for a few days right after I initially broke my foot.  I've been using a small hand held battery operated frothier, which he found annoying.  So, off to Bed, Bath and Beyond with a coupon he went.  This is really quite nice.  It heats and froths at the same time.  My hand held one only frothed.  So, initially I heated milk in the microwave and than frothed to put in my morning coffee.  It really does make the coffee special and is a lot cheaper than buying coffee out...at a coffee shop, which is something I never do.  Thank you hubby for upping my game.

Charmed Memories, Edwardian Life, Reality TV, Walking 4 Fun

Charm bracelets...This is mine from Junior and Senior High School.  Coloring is a bit off, and it it badly needs to be cleaned.  There's a phone (teenagers back then spent far less time on the phone then people do now with cell phones...but it was a big part of a teenagers life.  There is a green 4 leaf clover for good luck, a bowling ball and pin (I belonged to a very active Girls Bowling League through G.A.A.--Girls Athletic Association), the school pendant, a little Bible that actually opened though there wasn't anything inside it, an American Flag, a typewriter...(yes I know that gives away my age...a typewriter, not a computer --and in fact not even an electric typewriter cause that's not what we used in school, 2 vacation type charms (one from Cedar Point, Ohio and one from Ft. Launderdale, Florida-where I took my very first vacation with girl friends and no parents!  Lastly there is a Christmas charm, and a Pennsylvania Dutch Hex....aside from it being colorful, I don't know what it represented to me back then.  A group of us were reminiscing and everyone posted pictures of their charm bracelets.  Did you have one?  Do you know?  They're very different nowdays for sure.

**edited to add I forgot there's a key to my heart charm and the word No.  I have no idea what the No was for...no memory of that or it's significance.

I'm not a fan of "reality" tv shows at all, but this was totally different in my opinion.  People weren't voting each other off the island or any such nonsense.  This was a project.  The Series was called Manor House...  This first aired in The UK in 2002 under the name of The Edwardian Country House, when it was released here in the states the name was changed to Manor House and it aired in 2003.  It's one season.  The project lasted for 3 months.  People where chosen to live as they would have lived during that time in a Country Estate in Scotland.  Some were chosen to be servants, while one lucky family was chosen to be "The Aristocratic" Family.  They all make adjustments.  Some fit their roles more easily, others struggled.  Quite entertaining.  Some of the hard fast rules presented as truth in this series aren't quite in keeping with other period pieces I've watched, so perhaps some of the series had more research behind them, while others took more liberties with history.  Have you watched it?  Let me know what you thought.  I do recommend it if you're looking for something fairly educational and entertaining.

You may have noticed this addition to my blog.  This badge is located in the right sidebar and shows you my virtual location on a particular trail.  This site Walking4Fun is definitely worth your time.  You can link your Fitbit, or Garmin or other devices that track your steps daily, or you can manually plug in your distance once you register.  The site is free, registration is quick and easy.  There are wonderful photo's to enjoy along your virtual walk.  Just today I finished a short trail in Sydney that was loaded with history, so tomorrow my steps will count towards where I left off on The Pacific Crest Trail.  As you can see my badge, I am at mile marker 1,618.7 miles and have about 1,000 miles left to finish this trail.  Ryan is who you virtually walk with.  He is a real hiker and has been many places.  His photographs make you feel like you're right there.  He has a fun sense of humor also.  You can form a group and walk in your group, or walk solo ...there's also a diary, a daily log if you will where people who are walking virtually can post their thoughts.  

If you like stats, there are plenty of them on this site, your weekly, monthly, yearly totals and your grand totals.  Your best day, how many days you've walked and more.  Currently there are 21 trails to pick from, I've completed 16 of them.  It says I've walked 1,317 days and am 23.97% around the world.  LOL  It's going to take awhile.  It tells me my best day was Nov 16th back in 2016 where I walked 12.4 miles which was 29,823 steps.  It's been months of me getting around 4,000 steps a day with my broken foot....gonna be a long time........if ever I have one of those days again.

For the time being, I'm knitting, watching English Series on my ipad, and kemping around as my foot heals.  Continuing with physical therapy twice a week...left, right, and repeat.  

Welcome Blanket

Knit, Crochet, and Quilt/Sew and use your skills to voice to participate in art, to speak up, to become an activist with your yarn.

The project ask the question...........What if instead of building a wall to keep people out, 2,000 miles of yarn be used to make blankets to welcome people, just as our Statue of Liberty suggestions when she says, "Give me your Tired, your poor".  3,500,640 yards of Blankets is the call.

If you click on the picture, you'll be able to see the pamphlet better.  Or you can click HERE for the website.

I post this as a means to help spread the word about this project.  I stumbled across this the other day and was unsure how many people knew about it.  There's not a lot of time since the deadline is August 25th I believe to be included in the exhibit.  I've also seen a note in the RAVELRY Group that indicates the deadline to donate has been extended to November 4th, 2018