The Linden Homes Photo Thread

[Cinnamon Mistwood]

1 hour ago, kali Wylder said:

I love your color pallet!  The front porch looks very inviting ❤️

[Rolig Loon]

Like everyone else, I took a quick trip to the Sakura regions about a month ago to see what all the excitement was about.  They are gorgeous!  The houses there are architectural showpieces -- open, airy, and crisply styled but also very private. Best of all, the land is beautifully sculptured with a mix of rolling hills, waterways, and a few very steep slopes, and there are trees and small gardens everywhere. I didn't have a long time to explore on that trip, but I saw enough to encourage me to plan for many more visits.

When I went back this week, I decided to do it right. I took a small boat, sailed into the port region of Kodokuna Josei (which means Lonely Woman, by the way), and headed for the community cultural center of Shobu. 

The cultural center itself is a large, traditionally-styled building designed for public gatherings and conferences. When you visit, be sure to check out all the meeting rooms and small dining areas.  I can't resist opening doors and poking my nose into places. I'm sure there must be administrative offices, kitchens, and all sorts of staff areas but they are well hidden, so I didn't find them. What I did find were several places to enjoy a cup of tea or a plate of sushi.

I know many of my friends turn up their noses at green tea because they prefer dark, fermented teas that are black or red. Not me.  I drink a Chinese longjing tea at home that is a bit more robust than the Japanese tea I sampled here, but this was lovely. I sat and enjoyed the tea for much longer than I meant to.

As impressive as the building is, though, the main draw of the cultural center is its gardens. From the main building, you can look out onto the Inner Garden or can wander along covered walkways that surround it on the other three sides.  This is a showpiece garden, the sort of place where you might hold a reception for visiting dignitaries or host a musical event. If there's nothing going on, you can walk around the shallow pond at the center, admiring the lotuses and the flowering shrubbery and feeling peaceful.

Here's a better view, taken from one of the small dining areas on the upper level of the center. As you can see, the pond takes up much of the garden area except for the raised area on the north end and the formal octagonal spot that's just below where I am standing. I think that's where they probably set up a rostrum when some Important Person has things to say.

I went down to check out that little island and found that it had been planted with several kinds of lilies and other colorful flowers. I wish I knew the names of most of them. I'm lucky to be able to identify the cherry trees properly, but I do enjoy being in a garden like this even if I can't name things.

I could have stayed around the main building for much longer, but I could see that there was much more beyond the covered walkway, so I went to investigate.

The gardens beyond are immense! The rest of the cultural center, in fact, is not a single garden but an enclave of several separate gardens, divided from each other by occasional walls or by ponds and rocky slopes. The caretakers have built bridges and wooden walkways to guide you from one place to another (and, I suspect, to encourage you not to go trampling through the bamboo patches and upsetting ducks in the ponds).

I was surprised and quite pleased to find lively cascades in two places. It's not at all what I expected, but it was a delightful discovery. The sound of flowing water is very soothing, and I find the mist refreshing. The birds seem to like it here too. Aside from the wood ducks I watched around this spot, I could hear songbirds chirping away in the bushes. I so envy the gardeners and groundskeepers who tend this area.

I won't spoil all the surprises for you, because I really do want to encourage you to explore on your own. Here's one more of the gardens, though.  This is perhaps the largest of them. You enter either though a gate in the wall you can see at a distance in this photo or -- as I did -- by climbing up a very steep set of stairs and over a rocky slope separating this garden from the one I was just in.

In retrospect, I regret having worn heels for this visit because there was a lot more walking than I anticipated, and much of it was on rocky pathways or narrow wooden ones.  I must say, though, that they forced me to slow down instead of racing from one place to another. I am often so eager to see what's around the next curve that I miss the fine details.  And that's what an area like the Shobu cultural center is all about ... details.

I ended my visit at a quiet, contemplative spot at one of the highest corners of the region. From here, I could look back toward the main building and, well beyond in the distance, Mt. Soji (known more properly as Sojisan). That's where I want to go next. I'm told that Sojisan is the highest feature on the grid, an imposing volcano that is capped with snow at the summit. For that trip, I'll be sure to wear hiking boots and warmer clothing.  

[Oshun Emor]

Home sweet home!

[Oshun Emor]

More pics from my Log Home

[Nika Talaj]

11 hours ago, Oshun Emor said:

More pics from my Log Home

 

Nice job, Oshun!  I particularly love to see homes decorated not completely as showpieces, but as a realistic place to live, with a broom closet, working desk, etc..

This thread, "Linden Homes", tends to have a lot of landscape photography and exploration photo studies. Let me draw your attention to a different thread, which is where I usually go when I'm looking for home decor inspiration. 

 

[kali Wylder]

So, having recently acquired some Asian furnishings, I had my alt take a home in Sakura to so I could play.

 

[kali Wylder]

[kali Wylder]

[Avery Evergarden]

I have to say..... or admit.... I was an avid home hopper through the build out of the traditional houses. I was constantly following the moles down the continent trying to grab that coveted spot. There were so many people doing the same, all watching for some region to restart and then madly smashing the refresh button followed by trying to check that stupid little accept box (which was no easy task to do at the speeds required). Regions would go in mere seconds reducing your choices back to the old homes. The chase down the continent slowed down with the campers, victorians, & cabins, aside from the initial release of the themes. Finally the stilts arrived and I've never left them... well I hopped a bit but the sand and the sea are what feels like home to me. Now with going premium plus I scooped up a lovely one (last time I had one so nice I stayed for a year) and I think I've found home, at least until the 2028 size houses.......

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Avery Evergarden

[Rolig Loon]

I know it's only been a few days since my visit to the cultural center in Shobu, but I couldn't get Mt. Soji out of my mind. It's hard to resist the lure of a large mountain, especially when you know it's the largest in our entire world. The day after I posted my notes for you, therefore, I dug through my closets to find a warm coat and my hiking boots and went right back to Shobu. I just had to climb Sojisan.

The mountain is north of the cultural center, so I decided to try approaching from the northwest corner of the community gardens, where I knew I had seen at least one gate through the wall.  There was hardly a cloud in the sky as I started out, and it was warm and only mildly humid. The top of Sojisan is snow covered, though, so I knew I would be glad to have my coat once I began climbing.

There's the gate, opening into an upscale neighborhood. This area is just south of the canal marking the edge of the immense public nature preserve around the mountain. Being barely outside the walls of the Community Gardens, I can only guess what the property values are like here. This is prime real estate country.

Does anyone know what these colorful low bushes are? I saw them everywhere in the gardens, and here they are just outside. I thought at first that they were some kind of dwarf maple, but the leaves are all wrong. I doubt that I could get them to grow near my own home, but I'd like to find something with those broad tiered branches.  Sorry to interrupt the narrative, but I had to ask while it was on my mind.

I turned left from the gate and was immediately surprised. I didn't realize that I was exiting almost directly across from the SW Soji train station.  It's a small, local station at the dead end of a spur, the closest that you can get to Sojisan by rail. I have no idea what the schedule is, because I didn't see one posted, but I've made a note to check later. This would be an exciting part of the world to explore by train.

From the path at the end of the station, I could see both Mt Soji and the bridge that I would need to cross to enter the nature preserve. From here on, every step was going to be uphill.

I paused here to take one last scenic shot before beginning my ascent. I was a little concerned because high clouds had begun to form over the summit, and it didn't look as if there were many trees or places for shelter if the weather turned bad. I'm not a nervous hiker, but I was climbing alone on an unfamiliar slope.

At the north end of the bridge, the road joins a circumferential road that you can follow all the way around the mountain if you are traveling by cart or bicycle.  As far as I could tell, however, there are no roads up the mountain itself, but I was hoping for at least a marked trailhead.

Unfortunately, there are none, at least none that I spotted. The slopes are all like this, grassy for a bit but with very imposing rocks that looked like stiff climbing to me. Finally, I decided to just go for it.  I took a deep breath and  headed up past a nearly vertical rock face at the end of a retaining wall.

There are no trees at all once you get to the mid-slopes on Sojisan, not even one of those low shrubs. In fact, even the grass has a difficult time growing on the rocky soil here. What surprised me most, though, was the lack of birds. I suppose there's not much for birds to eat up here, but I had expected to see an eagle or maybe a high flying seagull.  We are only a few regions north of the ocean here, after all.

As I expected, snow was falling on the high slopes.  The snowpack wasn't deep, but it covered everything so I had to watch my footing to be sure not to stumble over some buried peril.  The wind was picking up too, and it slowly dawned on me that I had forgotten to wear a hat. I guess I just hadn't expected the temperature to drop that quickly from the pleasant climate in the gardens down below.

After all that, the top of the mountain was less exciting than I had hoped. Climbing was good exercise, and the view from up here is expansive. The summit itself is an ice-filled caldera, though, and the rim is essentially featureless under its snow blanket. I didn't even bother to take a photo of it. I did take photos to show you that I made it here, though. This shot is looking west into Airashii Mogura (which, if my guidebook is correct, means "Adorable Mole" -- probably a reference to some mythical creature associated with the region).  You can see quite a long distance to the west and south from this spot, all the way to the sea.

So there.  I can say that I have climbed the highest mountain in the world, which is more than most of you can probably say so far.   

[Nando Yip]

in Trafalgar before the boat trip.

[Nika Talaj]

On 7/4/2022 at 4:34 PM, Rolig Loon said:

Does anyone know what these colorful low bushes are? I saw them everywhere in the gardens, and here they are just outside. I thought at first that they were some kind of dwarf maple, but the leaves are all wrong. I doubt that I could get them to grow near my own home, but I'd like to find something with those broad tiered branches.  Sorry to interrupt the narrative, but I had to ask while it was on my mind.

.....

After all that, the top of the mountain was less exciting than I had hoped.

The bushes are "Japanese maples".  Every other yard in Seattle and Portland has one; my (now sold) house has one that was planted in 1964, still going strong, and huge.  Sakura ones look a lot like this variety, Crimson Queen.  A lot of people keep the foliage thinned, if they are lucky enough to have one with a twisty trunk and branches.

And, I am delighted to say, there is one in Sakura's Content Creation pack.

As for Sojisan ... well, all 4 regions that make it up still have their green centerpoint markers.  Maybe the moles are not quite done with it?  I still hope for a ski run somewhere ....

Edited July 9, 2022 by Nika Talaj

[Chike Nightingale]

The hidden tracks that lead to hidden places in the Bellisseria Highlands (Log Land).

Well done LL and the Moles!

 

 

[Feorie Frimon]

My hubs is a Belli guy - I'm helping him build out this AMAZING home he snagged. Check this one out - FIRST TRY! One parcel away from the epic mountain. ❤️ 

What a lucky duck.

[brodiac90]

So I decided to redecorate my Windlass houseboat. Hopefully it will provide inspiration for someone. Some of my favourite decorating stores are Soy, Fancy Decor, Taikou, Half Deer, Dust Bunny and Muddpuddles. 

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

Love the mainland but also love the Victorian that a friend of mine gave me:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lower Barensmouth/96/191/33

Edited September 11, 2022 by Ingrid Ingersoll

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

On 4/12/2022 at 6:12 PM, Mercedes Avon said:

I picked up my perfect stilt late one evening and I've spent days petting it, talking to it, telling it I love it, and giving it pretty furnishings and this is the result. 

I MUST SEE THIS, PLEASE POST AN SLURL!

[Leora Greenwood]

13 minutes ago, Ingrid Ingersoll said:

Love the mainland but also love the Victorian that a friend of mine gave me:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lower Barensmouth/96/191/33

Just stunning!  Did you do the wallpaper yourself?

[Elena Blossom]

Amazing @Ingrid Ingersoll, I love what you've done there. And that region is great, congratulations on your home

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

Well no, the wallpaper is an interior shell and it is has two faces so you can wallpaper up top and panelling or whetever else. The wallapper pattern is also by Hedy Heartsong. No idea where you can buy this, I spoke to her in IM's and that's how i got it. It's great!

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

4 hours ago, Leora Greenwood said:

Just stunning!  Did you do the wallpaper yourself?

sorry didn't quote you but the wallpaper info is above

[Maitimo]

So I got bored with my new houseboat - while I love the idea of one, when it comes to actually decorating it and living in it, I soon get frustrated and need more space. So this time I went for a theme I've never done before - fantasy - and I was surprised how much I actually like it. 

No exterior shots cos I am really not happy with the garden, but here's what I've done inside.

The curved corner of the Stonebrook was difficult to furnish so I ended up just putting a path-cut cylinder over it with a decal, like a kind of feature wall.  My favourote part here is the ivy-covered dividers between the living room and the kitchen/diner. Dividers are from ROIRU, ivy from T-Spot.

The bed here is improvised; I already had one with a tree-branch arch over it, but it was some ridiculous 19 LI (or something like that) so I bought a low LI garden arch, shrunk it down and linked it to a low LI bed. Total LI here = 6. And it's prettier than the other one.  Also I used the same wall decal pattern as I have in the living room. The rustic wardrobe and nightstands are actually from an Apple Fall kitchen set (cabinets shrunk to make the nightstands).

Not showing the bathroom (because it's boring) or the second bedroom (because it's empty).

I still have about 90 LI allowance left, which I will probably use for the garden. And more plants inside. I think an elf's house should be full of plants.

[VaelFaye]

I re-upped my subscription and decided to go on a decorating spree. 🥰 I'm loving this gift skybox from ONSU. 

 

 

I was really torn between wanting to try out one of the new sakura homes or a fantasy one. In the end I landed back on Newbrooke. My ground parcel is open to any and all who want to say 'hello'. Random decor is random. 😄

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bluejay/39/60/22

 

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

5 hours ago, VaelFaye said:

I'm loving this gift skybox from ONSU. 

Yeah it's very nice. Got sent one as well. Love what you did with it

[Mercedes Avon]

On 9/11/2022 at 10:41 AM, Ingrid Ingersoll said:

I MUST SEE THIS, PLEASE POST AN SLURL!

I have since changed the house style and I am using the Tortuga. I will have to post new pics soon.