Author: Inara Pey

The last time I wrote about Missing Melody, the home of the Oh Deer brand by Bambi (NorahBrent) – who also designed the region – it was to report she was taking something of a leave of absence from Second Life (see: The natural beauty of Oh Deer in Second Life).

However, and as pointed out to me by Shawn Shakespeare a while ago, Bambi is now back and once again offering her region as both a home to her store and a place for people to visit and appreciate – although it has admittedly taken me a while to get back there.

Bambo has a talent for creating relaxing pastoral settings that sit well with the heart, eye and camera. In general setting, the region could be a little isle hidden among the large Wadden Islands off the north coast of Holland, if only because the field of brightly growing tulips naturally (if perhaps a little stereotypically, given the song) brings to mind thoughts of the Netherlands.

With a north-to-south orientation that runs along the region’s west side, leaving the east to open waters, the main island is split between southern beach, fields for the aforementioned tulips and for cattle. and open grasslands.

A barn sitting between the beach and the fields is the home to the Oh Deer store, a track running northwards between fields and grass, splitting into two before reaching the water channel that separates the island from a smaller, more rugged companion.

Reached via a low-slung bridge, the second island hides its secrets behind green slopes down which water flows to drop into the channel, and beneath a canopy of trees. These secrets start with the Oh Deer café – open 24/7 – while steps cut into the hillside beyond lead the way up and over the island to where an unexpected surprise awaits: a little village setting that might have been lifted from a corner of Santorini and gently place down on the island’s north side.

The path around to this little village also offers a way up to the crown of the island, where koi swim and paper boats sail in a little rocky pond that sits beside another secluded spot where visitors might pass the time.

As with all of Norah’s designs, this iteration of Missing Melody is rich in the kind of detail that encourages the eye to tarry. From the places to sit to the sheep and cattle grazing, and onwards to the façades of the little village and the sprinklers keeping to grow the crops, this iteration of the region has something to see in every direction – and even overhead; whilst the general layout and design makes it a gentle treat to explore.

So, why not hop along and take a look for yourself?

SLurl Details

• Missing Melody (Angel in Heaven, rated Moderate)

Back in December in 2020, I dropped into Kaja Ashland’s Snoweeta, a charming winter build engaging in its simplicity as it offered a glimpse of Skåne, the southern most county (or län) of Sweden (see A Little Swedish Inspiration in Second Life).

I recently made a recent return to the region at the suggestion of Shawn Shakespeare, who informed me the region has now lost the snow present at the time of my first visit to offer a taste of summer. With the passing of the snow, the “S” has gone from the setting’s name, allowing it to once again become Noweeta.

The arrival of summer has brought with it gentle changes to the setting that further enhance it and offer a further reason for a visit, whilst keeping many of the features present back in December 2020, their presence giving the region a depth of place.

At the time of my first trip to the region, I wondered if Kaja has based the setting on an actual location within Skåne, given it apparently sits between the small Baltic townships of Ystad and Simrishamn, musing that it might be one of the roads Henning Mankell’s dour-faced Inspector Kurt Wallander might actually drive along when investigating a local crime, his eyes momentarily drawn to the large farmhouse set back from the main road.

With my return, I could not shake that feeling Wallander may turn up – particularly given the marked patrol car still stilling on the road. However, it now appears that the farmhouse may have been brought up and turned into the country retreat for a wealthy family, the surrounding fields turned over to one of the locals.

I say this because the land closest to the house has been overhauled, a new swimming pool giving the suggestion this is no longer a working house. Alongside it sits a large corral for riding horses, whilst a private 7-hole miniature golf course completes the main grounds for the house. The models on this little golf course are quite exquisite, making it an eye-catching feature.

With the retreat of the snow comes the revelation that one of the fields sitting alongside the driveway to the house is actually home to a small to a small grass airstrip. A Model 75 Stearman sits at one end that at first glance appears to be a crop duster;  however, its colours suggest it is more of a show ‘plane than a workhorse.

The fields themselves are now rich in growth – other than the little airstrip -, the one on which it sits also having sprouted a windmill, complete with slowly turning sails.

Elsewhere, the little hill with its campsite remains, while the small body of water beyond sits free from its icy covering to present another corner where people might retreat and spend time fishing or simply enjoying the company of one another in a moored rowing boat.  And while the wild pigs may have scooted with the changing of the season, they’ve been joined by sheep, offering another sense of continuity with the preceding design.

With the arrival of summer, Noweeta has bloomed with colour and continues to offer an attractive visit for Second Life tourists and visitors alike.

SLurl Details

• Noweeta (Noweeta, rated general)