Tag: Exploring Second Life 2021

It was back to scenes of snow and ice with roar of fires in hearths and steaming mugs of hot beverages to warm cold tummies and fingers for me this week, as I took Shawn Shakespeare’s advice and hopped over to The SnowDrift, a winter / holiday season setting that occupies the ground level of Audie Whimsy’s Cherished Melody Full region.

Explore the magic of the holiday season in a snow covered winter land of bliss filled with wondrous festive décor & arrangements. The SnowDrift gracefully captures an old time Christmas feel where you’ll be craving a nice mug of hot chocolate!

– from the region’s About Land description

Surrounded by tall peaks with slopes covered in their own share of snow through which fir trees raise rows of green spires, the region presents a classic series of winter holiday and festive settings and scenes. To the west, the landing point sits within a little village where the snow is falling and the local fountain is heavy in icy stalactites frozen from waters that usually fall from the fountain’s tiers.

Separated from the rest of the region by a frozen channel of water, the village with its little cottages, chapel and shops, is nevertheless connected to the rest of the region by a series of bridges that offer various routes of exploration. These pass around and through the region’s high central peak and its surrounding hills.

Along the way, these paths lead the visitor past snuggle points, outlying cottages and houses, the ruins of another chapel, and more. There are also opportunities for ice skating, sitting aboard Santa’s train, wander through a candy cane garden  – and to even find Santa himself tippy-toeing around as he attempts to deliver presents without being seen. Elsewhere Frosty the Snowman tips his hat in greeting to passers-by, with more to be found.

Set under a cold blue sky (albrit one with what appears to be a giant tree growing across a part of it), The SnowDrift lends itself to a variety of EEP settings, and is rounded out by the presence of local wildlife and a suitable sound scape with the winds, jingling bells and the sounds of birds chirping in boughs of green or which raise themselves skyward, devoid of leaves until spring returns once more.

This is a setting that doesn’t need a lot of description, eloquently speaking for itself as it does. The detail is rich and engaging, without being too overwhelming. And for this reason, I’m going to close this piece with a couple more images.

SLurl Details

• The SnowDrift (Cherished Melody, rated Moderate)

I have visited Elvion, the ever-evolving region design by Bo Zano (BoZanoNL), on numerous occasions over the last few years. It’s a place I frequently return to because with each iteration, Bo always offers us a rich and inviting celebration of nature and outdoor living.

He’s also someone who tends to sway away from typical seasonal designs, so for those who might already feel a little number from trudging through all the snow and cold that predominate region designs at this time of year, the current iteration of the region carries a subtle hint of winter’s presence whilst avoiding snow, whilst also embracing a touch of magic for the end of 2021.

Sitting within shallows  speckled by light, the current iteration of Elvion sits as a Z-shaped island that cuts across the water, a low-lying ribbon of grass and sand. Scattered with trees rich in the colours of summer and autumn, the land capped at its northern end by a rocky beach and a horseshoe of rock from which water tumbles into a pool before flowing out into the wide expanse that surrounds the region.

The magic is infused into the region in a number of ways. There are, for example, the giant mushroom trees mixed with the “normal” trees. Then there are the tall pillars canted to lean together and form arches, their presence suggesting this was once the home of ancient structures, while paths are marked by plants that carry their own bulb-like illumination. Meanwhile, the rocks with their waterfalls are backed by strange, extruded outgrowths of rock that look petrified spider’s legs frozen over a portion of the landscape.

Within this setting there is much to be found in the way of details provided by Bo – including one of the Rack Pack bulldogs that have been part of a number of past Elvions – although whether it is Frank, Sammy Davis or Deano, I couldn’t say, this time around 🙂 . Here, horses roam; there stands a pair of albino reindeer, one of the small nods towards the winter season, alongside the EEP settings used in the region); further along, otters keep an anxious watch on the open waters as if expecting something.

Also to be found within the region are multiple places to sit and cuddle – my favourite being the Moon chair as it looks out through a vortex of lying fish (one of the other signs of magic / fantasy in the region); whilst art can also be found giving further ambience to the setting.

This is a place was wandering is easy and the land encourages the imagination to take flight and where peace can be found bathing under the watchful eyes of peacocks and time can be spent in simple reflection. A place where time can be allowed to pass on its own, and the mind can free itself from any sense of trouble or strife.

In other words, another engaging and ideal visit for visitors to enjoy – as I hope the images here confirm.

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• Elvion (Calantha, rated Moderate)

Back in November 2020, I dropped into Snowdrops, a Homestead region designed by Kess Smith (Kess Crystal), and made available during the winter months of 2020 / 2021 for people to enjoy (see: Snowdrops in Second Life). For 2021, Kess has brought the setting back, only this time bigger and with more to see, utilising a Full region for her vision – which this year she has shared with Trouble Dethly in designing and building it.

Snowdrops returns for its second year, bigger and better than before. We welcome you to explore this family friendly, photogenic, winter region in Second Life. With a variety of cold weather activities like a snowboarding, tobogganing, ice skating, teegle horses, mini golf and much more, there is something for everyone. Be sure to pick up your Christmas tree at the farm, take Santa’s train to a café for a cup of warm cocoa and other treats and find all the hidden nooks and hang out spots. Along the winter village, there are also free holiday gifts from Dahlia, KraftWork, Pitaya, Thor, Zerkalo, Elm, Moss&Mink and Atelier Burgundy.

– from the Snowdrops website

A visit begins in a town square sitting towards the middle of the region. It is bounded on two sides by boutique stores for the brands mentioned in the notes quoted above, each of which has a little seasonal gift giver just outside the door.

The remaining two sides of the square are marked by a gazebo housing a small skating rink (with a skates giver) and a cosy little chapel, the two looking at each other across the band stand in the middle of the square. This band stand is home to a quintet of musicians and to information boards for the region’s social media links and to web pages that provide information on booking the local restaurant or the vacation cabins.

The latter are located in the north-east of the region, five in all, gathered around a frozen pond. All are warmly furnished and offer a little outdoor deck for patrons to enjoy as well during a stay.

The fine dining restaurant, meanwhile, sits atop the region’s high peak, located to the south-east. Offering indoor dining for small parties and a separate gazebo for couples wishing to have a romantic dinner, the dining areas offers commanding views over the rest of the region.

Reached via a ski lift that rises from the south side of the town square, the restaurant shares its hilltop location with a pavilion warmed by an outdoor fire, and a long slope that drops all the way back to the ski lift station, with sled and snowboard rezzers available for those who fancy a little on-piste fun. For those not interested in winter sports, the little mini-golf tucked under the trees a very short walk from the ski lift station might be more to their liking.

Across the region from the rental cabins, and tucked into its north-west corner, is Santa’s North Pole workshop, the walk to it from the cabins passing by a Christmas tree shop and the fenced grazing for Santa’s reindeer, perfectly at home in the falling snow.

These reindeer are not the only animals waiting to be found here; more deer are wandering among the trees or watching those who come and go from the rocks and hills that form a part of the region’s landscape, while horses wander their own fenced areas, with one offering rezzable copies of itself to ride through the region’s wilderness.

With paths and trails to connect its various points of interest – which include several cuddle spots – and finished with a gentle sound-scape, Snowdrops once again provides a photogenic, enjoyable winter visit.

My thanks to Kess for the LM and invitation to visit. 

SLurl Details

• Snowdrops (Thallan, rated Moderate)

For those seeking a winter setting suitable for photography, Winter Dream Obsession might be just the place. Designed by Chanel (MONIYA Robbiani), it occupies roughly half a full region and offers a lot of seasonal and festive cheer.

The winter sun brought out the purity of the heaven-given snow, as if were a blank page for our merriment, inviting you to live a unique experience in a freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin…

– Winter Dream Obsession, About Land

Teleporting to the location lands visitors on a village street; where in the world it might be is entirely up to those arriving to decide. The cobbled street is dusted with snow, the houses along it decorated for the season, At one end of the street sits a winter gazebo, a golden tree decorated at its centre, a grand piano available for music.

At the other end of the street stand tall gates, partially open. A sign beside them points towards a covered bridge, suggesting the path will lead to the North Pole. Whether or not the cottage that sits at the end of the path belongs to Santa or not is again left to visitors to decide, whatever one makes of the figure in red face-down in the snow to one side of the path; is it Santa passed out from all his hard work, or is it a reveller from a local party who has perhaps had a little too much of the mulled wine…or something…?

The houses and cottages along the street are all furnished, each offering a respite from the snow and the cold for those who need it. Mid-way down the street sits a little outdoor café, offering hot drinks for those who would like to remain outdoors but feel they’d like to warm themselves up a little. Alongside of it, a path leads to the local park, again decorated for the season, with a mini-Santa presiding over everything from his little store.

Elsewhere, Christmas trees can be obtain from a local barn, whilst those who wander for a little, there are also places to spend time cuddling or romancing.  And those who do wander should try beyond the large pavilion as well, where stone step rise to a balconied path

This is a setting rich in detail, from the little holiday scene village, to the scene set out in the park, to the little train carrying Santa and his elves to all the richness of details the the houses.

But again, rather that have me wibble on about it – why not pay a visit for yourself!

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• Winter Dream Obsession (Deep Woods, rated Adult)

One day, I’ll sort myself out and get to visit Ambience Hideaway, the Homestead region held by yoyo Collas when it is not snowing 🙂 .

I say this because at the start of the year, and on the suggestion of Shawn Shakespeare, I paid it a visit and found it deep in the throes of winter, with snow laying deep over the ground of a rugged landscape (see: An Ambient Hideaway in Second Life). And when I returned for a further visit this month, snow was once again falling to blanket the ground – thus leading to the setting’s current name – It’s Snowing.

However, where the setting I visited at the start of the year was suggestive of a snowbound island, possibly lying off the coast of a northern latitude continent, the one I dropped into in December 2021 offered the look and feel of an Alpine village, high in the mountains, perhaps on the edge of a ski resort, close enough to offer chalets skiers can rent for their vacations, but far enough so that the local horse farm to continue doing business.

The landing point lies towards the north-west of the region, sitting on its highest point, a broad shoulder of land that appears to thrust outwards from the surrounding (of-region) mountains. A path runs south between a field set aside for events and a drop to where the rest of the village sits as the hillside falls gently away eastwards to what might be a mountain lake. to the east.

Two routes are available down into the village itself, each leading the way to the little market that stands before a large chalet-style building that sits as a kind of après-ski centre, a little café sitting next door. Chalets sit clusters along the slope, with a little chapel to add further atmosphere to the setting. To the north on the lower slopes sits the house farm, the herd gathering together to eat the hay that is being deposited via tractor.

For me, the horses came as a reminder of the region’s look at the start of the year. They were smaller in number then, but like here, they could be found roaming the snows. A further reminder of that start-of-year setting came as I reached the shores of the lake, where I found penguins huddled in defiance of this being a purely Alpine setting. A short distance away, and extending over the water, sits a place where humans can also enjoy huddling – this time around a fire.

The chalets are all open to people popping in if they wish, and all are comfortably furnished. As well as these and the lakeside deck, there are other places to sit and pass the time – such as the converted rail car that is being guarded by a copse of trees, or the wagon on the hillside or the pavilion sitting at the end of the trail leading away from the landing point.

With snow falling on the high ground, and touches of humour scattered around – Santa might need some help getting his sack down the chimney of the large chalet – there is much to see here, without the region being overly taxing on a half-decent system (or at least, it wasn’t on my mid-range PC). Opportunities for photography abound, and exploring across the snow is easy, on and off the the obvious trails.

Should you pay a visit, be sure to say “hello” to the alpaca!

SLurl Details

• It’s Snowing (Ambience Hideaway, rated Moderate)