The Linden Homes Photo Thread

[Nando Yip]

@Rolig Loon i was missing your travels, thanks !!!

[Sugary Bard]

1 hour ago, Rolig Loon said:

It has been a very long time since I took time to post any pages from my journal, and I apologize for that. My horse and I have taken some long trips over the past months but there have been many distractions and, well, I have just not found time to sort through photos and post them.  Don't worry.  I am not going to dump the whole load on you now, but here's a short trip we took last fall.

We had been camping for the night in a secluded glen in the Gold Spitoon hills. (No, we didn't find the gold.)

My horse, with an eye on fire safety, reminded me to douse the campfire as we left.  Then we headed north and found the road that leads east to Bindlestiff.  We were going to be headed north, but Lake Vengerberg blocks the direct route, so we had to detour around it.

This is a lovely part of Bellisseria, close enough to the great Northern Sea that you can feel the cold winds blowing in from the coast.  It's quite hilly here, so the roads twist and turn to get around rocky areas and several good-sized lakes.

You know my horse by now, and his passion for flowers and butterflies.  It's not easy to tear him away. I just have to let him move at his own pace and tolerate his frequent stops to sniff in the shrubbery.

Here's the eastern end of Lake Vengerberg, where we could look across at the shoreline homes in Samandjanet Evening (which is a super name, BTW).  My horse snorted when he spotted an untended bonfire, but I assured him that the homeowner had probably just nipped inside to grab a beer.

Once we got around the east end of the lake, we turned north toward Gopher Mound. The land through here is a little flatter, but there are still enough large rock outcrops to make the roads wiggle around instead of following a straight path.

As we crossed into Gopher Mound, we reached the southern edge of the large ring lake that circles to the northern reaches of Katy O'Donnell and as far west as Crooked Posse and Harriet Spring.  I had heard that there are fine places to swim in the wider parts of the lake to the northwest.  (In fact, we did get there a few weeks after this trip, and the water was glorious, but that's a different story.)  This time, I wanted to head into the high woodlands that are encircled by the lake.

To get there, you have to cross on a rustic bridge in Buckskin, so we traveled west along the lake shore to get there. My horse gets nervous on these bridges, and I can't really blame him. The timbers are uneven and there are wide gaps between them where it would be easy to stumble and break a leg.

From the bridge, you can see the impressive hill in Pisgah, not far away.

It is well worth climbing to the top.  It's grassy most of the way, although you do have to pick your way around craggy rocks.  The view from the top is breathtaking.  I dismounted at the ridge crest. We gazed across the northern part of the ring lake and could glimpse the coast of the great Northern Sea through the trees. It's lovely and quiet up here, with only the sound of wind through the conifers.

So this was the end of the trip.  It wasn't a long or strenuous day, but we covered a bit of ground and saw enough to know that we'd need to plan another day or more.  I do envy the people who live up here.  Not enough to settle down myself, of course, because I love traveling too much to stay in one spot.  Still, can you imagine waking every morning to see country like this?  Just WOW.

Enjoyed reading your post, and now I get Samandjanet Evening, lol! No, I'm not slow...

[Daniel Voyager]

Here is a map of the log homes railway as of 8th February 2021. 

Here is the newly built train station and a big loop around located at SSPE1110. 

A new railway tunnel (shown in purple on the map above)

Edited February 8, 2021 by Daniel Voyager

[Chloe Bunny]

13 hours ago, Daniel Voyager said:

A new railway tunnel (shown in purple on the map above)

I absolutely adore the style of this railway bridge I am really hoping that the region I got to name after my Dad turns out to have railway in it - he was a huge train fan...

[Rolig Loon]

As much as I love cool mountain air, I can't resist the idea of putting on a bikini and heading for the sunny islands when the weather gets blustery. When I was planning this day trip not long ago, I spotted the Hovercraft Eels region and just knew that was the place to start. Sometimes I look at the map and I have to laugh. 

Hovercraft Eels is a lovely region, one of twelve that make up a semitropical island in the chain to the north and east of the forested log homes I described in my last post. My horse was eager to go, but I expected this to be mostly a road trip, so I hopped on my scooter instead and began wandering, first in Hovercraft Eels and then on around the south coast.

All homes are on stilts in this part of the world and all are close to the water. Some, in fact, are on it. The regional planning authority has licensed long piers like this one that stretches almost 200 m from shore in Beaufort Three.

Houses on the island itself have the advantage of lush vegetation. There are tall palms everywhere and the smell of flowering shrubs is in the air. It was still early in the day when I arrived, so I didn't hear any other island traffic -- only the sounds of the shore breeze and dozens of lively birds.

Residents here plan for tourists and their appetites. I'm on a diet, so I resisted the yummy-looking sandwiches and hot dogs as I passed neighborhood snack bars, but I just had to stop for a tall glass of lemonade. 

The land on these islands is close to sea level, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a few knobs like this one near the northeast corner of Harborview Wharf, where I could get a good view.  This is public parkland. There's no marked access road, but if you're careful to stay off private parcels, it's very easy to get here with a large-wheel scooter. 

I was overjoyed to discover that there's a quiet little pond in this park too.  It's close enough to private homes that I might have hesitated to try it out, but everyone seemed to be off at work or still asleep so I figured ....

... why not?  The water really isn't deep enough to swim in -- it's more ornamental than recreational -- but it's clean and refreshing.  

There are boats everywhere, no surprise.  I saw loads of small motorboats and little sailfish moored along the piers, plus some gorgeous mid-sized pleasure craft like this beauty.  Homeowners who live right along the water can dock right next to the house. Others can launch boats from public boat launches.

There's a wide cove at the center of this large island.  I followed its shore westward from Octopus Garden and then looped around through Offshore, toward Buccaneer, where the cove narrows at its inlet on the north coast. Here in the peaceful water of the cove you could sail larger craft, though I didn't see any while I was visiting. Can you imagine what it must be like to sit out on your deck here, sipping margaritas and watching the gulls flying over the water?

My scooter is just the right vehicle for these regions. Unlike cars, which are restricted to the paved roads, it can putz along the boardwalks and piers and then go off-road entirely.  It doesn't make any noise to speak of, the electric motor is non-polluting, and its wide tires give me a smooth ride. ( Even my trusty horse can't beat that.)

Here's the inlet on the east side of the Buccaneer region, where three small islands greet sailors who arrive from the broader channel to the north. There are stilt homes out there, far from shore but still in shallow water. Those more adventurous homeowners don't have palm trees and beaches but they enjoy open water and spectacular views.

I parked my scooter on the beach and swam out first to the larger of the islands and then to the smaller one beyond. 

Day trips like this are great for the soul. I enjoy seeing the towns and villages where Bellisserians live, of course, and I am always impressed by the way they decorate their homes, but I'm an outdoor girl at heart. I feel most relaxed when I find quiet, out of the way places where I least expect them. I sat out here for a couple of hours, smelling the flowers and listening to the waves lapping on the sand. Just me and the tropical sun.

[Nando Yip]

@Rolig Loon nice ride🤩

[Elena Blossom]

Finding (bovine) excuses to go back to my old camper. No matter how amazing the new homes I get are, this little spot will always feel like home...

Edited February 15, 2021 by Elena Core

[Rolig Loon]

I have started several of my day trips in Bellisseria from the Oleander region, which lies at crossroads between the original northwestern settlements and the Victorian regions that are south of the Great Canal. The railroad and the main highway cross the canal here on twin bridges. Colorful homes overlook the harbor to the east and, of course, have a stunning view of the Oleander lighthouse.

This week, my horse and I were looking north at the highlands on the other side of the canal. We've wandered many times in the forested hills of the huge park there; there's always something new to discover. This time, I was hoping to find a deep lake that is rumored to be high in the rugged Varmint Hills, where I had never been before.

My horse is a little afraid of heights, so it took some gentle chiding to convince him that the trip was a good idea. Once we got going, though, he stopped chuffing under his breath and seemed to be enjoying the scenery.

There's no path north into the highlands from this direction until you get far to the west, so we had to cut between houses to get to the base of the Varmint Hills. The land rises steeply from there.  We stopped halfway up to look back, and then took a short detour east to the overlook at the mouth of the canal.

My horse didn't say much, but he did seem impressed by seeing the Oleander light from up here. It is one of the most prominent landmarks in this part of Bellisseria -- quite a tourist attraction and, naturally, a guide for seafarers. To the northeast, the pocket beach at Downtime is a favorite for many Bellisserians. You can only reach it by sea, as I discovered on an earlier trip when we tried getting down from the cliffs above.

We turned west from the overlook and started climbing. This is rocky country, so we had to pick our way past large outcrops and dodge around steep spots. You may remember that I posted a travelogue through Peace Canyon, further west, more than a year ago. Varmint Hills is like that, only more forested and harder to travel through.

The park is dotted with small ponds, usually well concealed in hollows along narrow valleys. We stopped at this lovely one because my horse was thirsty and I wanted to test the water depth. It turns out that the pond is barely waist deep except right under the cascade at the north end, so it's a nice place to paddle around in, but not good for diving. My horse would have liked to stay longer, but I reminded him that the rushing water in the cascade meant that there were probably better ponds uphill.

It is so peaceful here. I've rarely met other people in the remote corners of the highlands. They are truly among the best-kept secrets of Bellisseria.

 The slopes are surprisingly grassy between the rockiest areas, but they are steep. We took our time climbing, keeping the stream on our right most of the way.  My horse whinnied at a couple of squirrels and perked his ears up at the sound of songbirds. These are his idea of varmints. He's really a softie at heart.

We found what we were looking for near the highest point in the hills. This pond is not as wide as the one below -- it's definitely not a "lake", as I had been led to believe -- but it's much deeper and ringed by rocks that looked great for diving. It's fed by water that flows from an artesian spring into a short stream  and then over a waterfall (on the left in this photo). 

I left my horse to poke around the edge of the pond and went up for a view from the top.  There's a great place to sit at the lip of the falls -- not slippery at all despite the fact that the rocks are worn smooth. And, as I could tell from below, there are fine places to dive from.

So, this is another secluded spot to add to my journal. I always worry a little when I post a trip like this because I'd hate to have these lovely places overrun by rowdy hikers, but then they aren't easy for many people to reach.  Besides, you're not going to tell more than a few of your closest friends, are you? 

Edited February 22, 2021 by Rolig Loon

[Kasha Redstar]

On 1/5/2021 at 4:14 PM, Lloyd Overland said:

It is beautifully laid out and I do feel super lucky to have this spot.

Dream spot

[Rabid Cheetah]

Finally decorated my latest houseboat.  I went for the smallest version, so as to maximize water -- which is six meters deep here!  It's also the one that looks most like a boat, so I attached some paddlewheels and added rotation scripts to them.

[Rabid Cheetah]

Underwater

[Rabid Cheetah]

Unobstructed Eastern View

[Rabid Cheetah]

 

[Rabid Cheetah]

 

[Rabid Cheetah]

[Rabid Cheetah]

[Rabid Cheetah]

The upstairs addition makes enough room for my yoga mat and art studio, and a little nook for my futon.

[Rabid Cheetah]

And a little shelf for some nautical books.

 

[Rabid Cheetah]

Back downstairs, I made a laundry room

[Rabid Cheetah]

*KLANK!*  *KLUNK!*  No room for a bathtub or shower, so I had to improvise. *KLUNK!*  *OW!*  *KLANK!*

[Rabid Cheetah]

OOOOOoooooooooooohhhhh...that spin cycle wore me out...good night!

[CandyJewels]

The new stilts in the works are coming along beautifully.. and I shall continue throwing my money at them for as long as I can lol

Before(when sspe1734 first got it's land put in):


Currently:

[Nika Talaj]

Sightseeing in SSPE1104 (between Blini and Really Wet).  Stairs all the way from the boardwalk to the Log Home road above!  Wonderful stilt and log home parcels here ...

You can see near the top more stairs leading to a little overlook with a bench to the right of the main stairway. 

Flycan sitting there in the evening, watching fellow sightseers cruise by!

[Mercedes Avon]

On 3/7/2021 at 2:47 PM, Nika Talaj said:

Sightseeing in SSPE1104 (between Blini and Really Wet).  Stairs all the way from the boardwalk to the Log Home road above!  Wonderful stilt and log home parcels here ...

You can see near the top more stairs leading to a little overlook with a bench to the right of the main stairway. 

Flycan sitting there in the evening, watching fellow sightseers cruise by!

/me swoons! I want to live there!

[Nando Yip]

Tenho dois alts que estavam ocupados com palafitas, mas depois de me divertir decorando, passei semanas sem nem passar por eles, tanto se pode fazer no SL que não sobra tempo para ficar em 4 casas, no Bellisseria e mais uma galeria de casas no continente, e ainda vou a eventos, festas, concursos, mostras de arte, shows .... etc .... etc.
Então decidi rebaixar as duas alts já que prefiro muito a casa-barco e Doyle, e seu mandato agora termina nos dias 24 e 28, respectivamente. Então decidi economizar e seguir em frente, já que os Chalés realmente não me atraem.
Apesar de não perder a Premiun, resolvi levar um trailer para ver o que acontecia ... Nunca tive um porque todos que eu peguei antes estavam em locais que não me atraíam em nada, sempre em lugares que eram demais lotado, sem nenhuma vista que ia para a praia. Meu gosto. Então agora para o meu “infortúnio” peguei dois em um terreno incrível:
o primeiro no Carnaval - com dois simuladores de água oceânica na frente, um canal atrás e a possibilidade de sair com o barco diretamente de dentro da embalagem.

E o outro em - The Beaten Path - com vistas maravilhosas e terreno no canal que leva à Baía de Fourze.

... A verdade é que até amanhã tenho que me despedir deles ... ohhhh DOR !!!

Edited March 23, 2021 by Nando Yip