Steeliehook Public Forest & Zen Centre

 

By Gemma Cleanslate 

I often get an idea for an article in an announcement from The Nature Collective. This site is one I loved as soon as I arrived at the entrance. The description says “This forest was built with love and calm. It is a place for self-reflection and centering." The music and lighting add to the experience. The first thing I saw was a 7seas fishing vendor so I knew there was fishing somewhere.

The light shafts shining on the trees and foliage enchanted me. This is a place to take a deep breath and relax. I walked down the stairs and into the forest to explore. There is a trail through the woods for walking. There are so many little spots for those who would like to linger. It is a place to walk slowly and enjoy the plantings and the little animals. Photographers will love it. The creeks have lovely waters flowing by. There is 7Seas fishing is to the right at the first creek and comfortable seating , a picnic basket with a sandwich and drinks.

I stopped at a picnic area below a waterfall that reminded me so much of a place I used to go in real
life. Farther along I found a place to paint a picture of the surroundings.

There is a lovely statue of Buddha where one can meditate, or practice yoga for beginners and advanced practitioners. Meditating is easy in this environment.

Jennifer Steele-Lilliehook (JenniferSteele Wilder), a well known artist in Second Life created it with her wife, Dempsey Lilliehook, and friend , HecateWic of Wic Foods. “
 

After my walk I noticed that Jennifer was nearby so went looking for her. I climbed up stairs and along a walkway past some shops and found a large restaurant called The Wine Cellar. Inside cooks were busy preparing food and Jennifer was there rearranging furniture. She invited me to lunch and we sat down and ordered. It is a delightful luncheon. 

 

She told me that soon she will be having events there such as Jazz singers, live sax, and other attractions. “ We will be doing announcements through TNC for drum circles and I AM sessions”. She told me it is to give back for all her support in second life. “ I just do what I love to do and it all seems to fall into place.

I will wait to see what they are. It was an enjoyable lunch. I have not seen Jennifer for a while so it was nice. She is still doing a bit of renovations around the whole area.Take a trip over to wander through the forest and explore the area. Stop in the restaurant and on the other side of the forest I learned there is an airport with a rezz zone so you fly in or out. This is your entrance to the forest. 

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Girotte/140/17/33

Gemma Cleanslate

Kaleidoscope

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

Spark has opened their new venture which is called Kaleidoscope. I learned for the first time that a group of butterflies can be called a Kaleidoscope flying and this is what the build is all about. It is an Education Project to introduce you to the life of this amazing little creature and how hard it is for them to survive.

From the entrance at the top of a mountain in Mexico you will follow a long path with educational information about the Monarch down down a winding stairway. Along the way are places to sit and relax to the music.

As I went along I found a cave under the waterfall and stopped in. It is magical with a swirling light filled with the Monarch stretching high to the top.

Farther down the trail walkway you will find your self surrounded by these delightful orange and black creatures. There are many places along the way just to sit and relax and enjoy the enchantment.

rαvєn вαnríσn кrαу (RavenStarr Resident and her team, who created The Pond and This Mortal Coil have done a wonderful job as usual and it will be here for the next three months.

They have dancing events under the waterfall that is great fun surrounded by the flickering insects as they fly by. I stopped by one party to join in. Begin your magical journey here. You will visit many times after your experience. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pebble%20Isle/52/90/80

I brought one home with me..(you can too.)

Gemma Cleanslate

Yosemite's High Sierra

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

There is so much excitement over at Yosemite ! Jadin Emerald has opened a whole new section of Yosemite called High Sierra. It is spectacular with high vistas and outstanding views. I had a sneak preview while Jadin was constructing the bones of the cabins. As at Yosemite there are trails for horseback riding, or walking. There are horse corrals with horses begging to take you for a ride. All Yosemite members and visitors will have access to the trails, the swimming area, common areas and parties.

There are several wonderful styles for those who wish to stay there. I love the B&B which is like outdoor living. There are all the amenities anyone would want to stay. A fully equipped kitchen, a charming living area, bedroom , sauna and hot tub and more await the occupants. Up on the top level they will have massage tables to enjoy for relaxation. It is all furnished and would make a great honeymoon site or a getaway weekend.

I took a Muir vacation cabin for two weeks. The cabins have wonderful porches with the interior open
space and loft for decorating to your own taste. I kept my lakeside tent site over at Yosemite but wanted to experience the new High Sierra. Here I have an opportunity to set out some furniture that I don’t usually use. The new hud gives me the opportunity to explore every nook of the new region. It also allows me to get back to Yosemite quickly.

Jardin is offering a real special to let you get acquainted. The tents, the cabins, are up for two weeks rental for free. Become a member of Yosemite that allows you all the fun areas and try out living there.

This rental offer is only open to members until February 20. However you can still come visit anytime and use the TP hud to get around to see all the new region has to offer. Choose a horse and take a ride through the forest on the Wilderness Trail.

Here Jadin and RainiDaize, who helps manage Yosemite and High Sierra and I are discussing the opening at the Muir Cafe high in the mountains of High Sierra with the most spectacular views.

This will take you to the landing at the new region where you can pick up the Hud that gives you options for both regions. Enjoy!!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/High%20Sierra/27/14/23

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Yosemite

By Gemma Cleanslate

After the hustle of the SL13B and the frenzy of the Relay for Life weekend I really needed some peace and quiet and went off to visit Yosemite, a place I had not been before. I met the owner and creator, Jadyn Firehawk, at the SL3B where she was working on the build for the Ethnographia project .
 

I was glad to see open spaces with trees and meadows brimming with flowers and jumped on my horse to take a look around the Yosemite Valley, Forever Wild.  The mountains reached to the sky as they do in the real Yosemite National Park in the USA. Tall pines and rocks dot the area and next to passed by  the home of Jadyn who dearly loves the real Yosemite.

Nearby I arrived at the Bluefield Wildflower Meadows , a delight to the eye and a nice place to relax or dance. Further along I came to the Shinzen Japanese garden. "Shinzen" means goodwill or friendship. A peaceful place for solitude and relaxation. Cuddles, Intan dance balls, hidden lovers' areas. A gorgeous romantic park. Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself." This is a very lovely area with bridges over the small streams along paths that pass a variety of cherry tress of different colors and stands of bamboo and Japanese open home to visit. I stopped in at one and found a wonderful laughing Buddha.  Wind chimes songs filled the air around the house and across the way I found a charming tea house where one can enjoy sushi. Past that on my ride I found a meditation Pavilion.  At the corner of the gardens there is a Japanese Village that has Maganda houses for rent.

I returned to the main entrance in Forever Wild. Here there is a teleport station that will take you to all the places I visited on horseback if you want to take that way, but there are many more places to visit. A lovely place to hang out with a friend is Little Yosemite Valley and the teleport will take you there. Take a hike up the mountains to Tolumne Meadows or to Glacier Point or ride your horse up the incline. It is a place for hiking or again there are nooks and crannies with resting or picnic places.

My next stop took me to The Glass House. Be sure to see this because it is a house that you can pick up for free when you land at the Maganda homes. I wish I had a place to put it!! It is lovely. Wander that area in case you are in the market for a new house. I saw some very nice ones there for sale, including the tea house.

The Maganda Arts is located at this level. The name comes from Jadyn’s birthplace, the Phillippines.  On the second floor there are boxes of tips for building from the Builders Brewery that you can pick up for free in case you would like to build your own home. Also on the second floor you will find the Maganda café to sit and have more sushi or a Filipino dessert. I saw some lovely art pieces on the wall as well as furniture and gorgeous room dividers.

 From the store I wandered into the Little Yosemite Art Forest. Here, Jadyn has installed several of her marvelous art pieces, some of which are interactive so don’t miss them. There are pieces made for various exhibits and competitions on display. I loved wandering around that area. and there are some gifts hidden in one of the interactive pieces. Have fun finding them.

I happily ran intoJadyn  and she told me she has had three parks on the sim since November and she said, “When I first came to Yosemite sim, it was just on one 4096 parcel that came available my dream has always been a Yosemite National Park in SL . Little by little I acquired more parcels as they became available. I added Little Yosemite Valley, as a skybox surround, as soon as i had four 4096's.” 

The National Park has been in place since July 2 when she acquired the entire region and she is thrilled to finally have brought it into the sim. While we were talking Jadyn was busily working on a new area called John Muir’s Camp Ground. It is now open and  will be a lovely addition to the region as she adds to it. Go for a picnic and you can rezz for limited time and enjoy it all. All you need is 1 L.  Check the guide you can pick up at the entrance that will keep you up to date with all the sites to see. This is still a work in progress so watch for more. Jadyn says to all, “Bring your friends, and happy exploring!” 

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Yosemite/193/64/22

Gemma Cleanslate

Experience Nature at Oyster Bay

By Kelly BloodyKitty

This my lovely friends is called 'nature'. Something a lot of us may not see depending on where we live. This sim is called LICK Sim Designs and is located in the region of Oyster Bay. Like a lot of places I go to seem, it appears to be owned by a group as well simply titled, LICK, and is a open and free to join group. Basically there is no significant purpose like shopping, gaming, RPing, or even gambling, the fun is up to you! I spent a few good minutes checking this sim out and it's very beautiful.

In the description of the landmark it basically telling you to enjoy your time here and enjoy the majestic views, experience cliff diving, and to even find some of the hidden spots in the sim to enjoy some time with your friends and loved ones. I feel personally like any sort of nature is a fun and or romantic getaway to travel around. While I am not a big fan of nature in our real world because of the bugs and ants, I can appreciate the other aspects. Here though you don't have to worry about ants or bugs biting your poor avatar and that you can just listen to the wildlife while you take a nice dip. 

I hightly suggest you visit this landmark if you want to hang out in a peaceful environment with your friends or a lover, or even explore on your own! The first place as you can see is you are on a dock surrounded by mountains and or hills and a lovely waterfall. The best part of coming in is that you can swim across the lake or tube it to get to the start of a lovely day. 

Oyster Bay (30, 124, 25)

"Kelly"

Calas Galadhon Sims

By Gemma Cleanslate

Since I have been too busy to ride my horse for a while I took a break from the Halloween searches to go for a ride in Mirromere in the Calas Galadhon sims. These are season changing sims that are always a pleasure to explore. The trees are  now in autumn glory. You can travel through 12 sims if you like on your horse . If you don’t have one you can rezz one here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mirromere/170/114/32  . 

 

There are always other modes of transport in the sims of course. A balloon ride is always fun, or a boat ride if you like. If you are into biking you can rezz one in the village area in Calas Galadhon sim. There are so many stunning venues through out the sims it always amazes me every time I visit. The owners TYMUS TENK & TRUCK MEREDITH  keep all these sims for the pleasure of the visitors. There is nothing for sale , no place to rent. It is just for your enjoyment. 

 

Where ever you go you come across little relaxing places with dance balls or comfortable seating where you and a friend can relax and talk, or just sit and read a book if you like. I love the Misty Mountains where birds sing and crickets chirp. and swirls of fog rise out of the waters. Armenelos is another favorite  but watch for the bears there as you make your way through the woods! I also came across a statue of a racoon holding a sign saying “Breathe and Smile” which it made me do. When I leave here I am always more relaxed.  

 

There are events almost every night in one or the other of the clubs  . Join the group for notices . You will find donation boxes around the sims so please try to give a little or a lot to keep these sims where they are. The main entrance offers a tp map to any of the other sims so you can enter here  where you will find  more information and read the rules for these spectacular sims. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/142/230/22

 

Much as I love all the seasons here, I can hardly wait for winter and the Christmas sim!! 

 

Gemma Cleanslate

Seagull Island Park

By Bixyl Shuftan

Several years ago in 2008, JamesT Juno's Second Life Newspaper wrote about the Germania sims. Among them was Seagull, owned by Angel Baxter and her partner. There were a number of them, with numerous places for boating, underwater ruins for mermaids, old castles for exploring, wilderness areas, and a residential and shopping area. Seagull then was a mix of shops on the oceanfront, and houses further inland. Today. the Germania sims are gone, but Seagull remains, as "Seagull Island Park." I recently met up again with Angel, where she showed me around the place.

Angel told me the sim had been completely redone. Her partner had in mind the goal of making it look like a Norwiegen fjord, with tall hills. But there would be no snow and ice here, not even in winter. Angel told me they found changing the place over would be too much trouble.

The area intended as the entrance is the docks, which has a pier area with a few buildings, including a general store, and some seats and chairs. Some of the chairs on the pier are for a fishing game there, with a caught shark on display not far away for decoration. This is not a 7Seas game, but there are cash prizes given out every so often for the three biggest fish caught. A few birds and dragonflies are also there, either flying around or standing on a pier post. There's an ice cream stand and a fish n' chips stall where one can pick up a snack. Strangely enough, there's also a Bloodlines mini store where a vamp short on blood can pick up a quart. There's also a short stretch of beach and a one room beachhouse to the east.

To the northeast is a small nude beach, the only place on the island where public nudity is permitted. It's fenced off at ground level with a sign warning against peeping and oggling. Besides lying in the sun and swimming, there's also dancing available at this spot. Just offshore is a lighthouse. Angel told me her partner based it off a real-life one, but didn't know it's history.

Not far from the beach are some ruins, presumably of a castle or similar structure, which are ideal not just for sightseeing, but also to take pictures of. There's also an ancient circle of stones, and a build resembling Stonehenge somewhat. There's also a lookout tower.

Around the sim are several cabins, which can be rented on a weekly basis. They range in size from small and basic to having a separate bedroom, kitchen, and living area. Some of the buildings have a roof of sod and grass, which acts as a natural insulation. There's also a campsite reserved for the Second Life Boy Scouts.

Around the sim are various critters. These are not static, but wander around a little. They include weasels, sheep, crows, cats, and others. The sim is not flat land, but very hilly, with streams and waterfalls. In places there are log bridges and wood walkways. One walkway leads up the hill to the high point of the sim where there's a vacation house with a deck. Near one corner is a humming noise. It turned out to be from a hornets' nest. Not good!

Walking back down from the house was a path of stone steps, with a few circular stones along the side of the trail. I think Angel told me they were for some puzzle way back. There was also a huge stone scuplture set into the rock of the hill. I think Angel told me it was supposed to be a troll.

Eventually, Angel's tour ended where it began, at the pier. She told me that a friend of hers would soon be opening a club in the area, but in a skybox far above the sim. This would be an adult-rated club with strippers on dance poles: a contrast between the park atmosphere of most of the place at ground level.

So if you have a moment, stop by and have a look around. This is a sim that stands out.

Seagull Islands, Seagull (168, 167, 22)

Bixyl Shuftan

Cap Estel Goes Safari

Maurice Messmer’s latest SL work is wild. Really wild. He has turned Cap Estel into the Serengeti. Start your adventure at Cap Estel Goes Safari, Cap Estel (229, 223, 53).

You can tour this Serengeti by giraffe or by horse. Hop on the giraffe or use the saddle rez station to get your pick of one of the four horses. They’re temporary, but they will last as long as you ride them. I picked the giraffe tour since I have horses at home, but I’d never ridden a giraffe. Their gait is surprisingly smooth.

As you ride into the Serengeti, you hear its sounds: beating drums, roaring waterfalls, and snarling wild animals. Cap Estel Safari is teeming with giraffe, zebra, Oryx, hyena, sable antelope, and even a rhino. Messmer is known for his realistic scenery, and he has outdone himself here. I felt like I was in Africa as I walked on the cracked, dry earth, crept past the animals, and peered over steep gorges filled with rushing water.

Near an old VW bus I met resident Melanie774 Kidd. She had just finished making a video of her giraffe ride around the site. The video is posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSSPa8rQ5rQ.

We chatted about how much we both enjoyed Messmer’s work. Kidd said this was the first time she had seen one of his sims. She learned about it from another SL resident, Shoji Kumaki, who displays photos of Messmer’s work in his gallery. “I love his photos,” she said, “so I had to come see for myself.”

After our chat I continued my tour of the Serengeti. I walked across the rickety rope bridge that spans one of the gorges. On the other side I found a tall observation tower and complimentary sweat towels and water. After that hike, I needed them. In keeping with making his places special, Messmer has even made the water bottles special here. All of the SL bottles and cups that I’ve seen are scripted to automatically give you a drink, whether you want a sip or not. But with this water bottle, you are in control. You only sip when you touch the bottle.

After you hydrate, climb up the tower. It’s a tall one. But you’ll be aptly rewarded by a great view and a cold bottle of Beck’s Beer at the top. Rest up in one of the Adirondack chairs to enjoy the brew and catch your breath. If you’re in the mood for some authentic African music, touch the drum.

When you go down the tower, walk toward the middle of the area, away from the rocks, to find a zebra herd. But be careful. Danger lurks in this jungle! I saw a number of slithering creatures.

As interesting as the Serengeti is, it’s only half of the Cap Estel Safari experience. A tropical jungle waits below, and you can reach it by grabbing onto a rope swing that is near the trail. Hold on tight to descend into the heart of the jungle. You’ll land at a platform that has security screening around it for your safety. Immediately you’ll see and hear the richness of the jungle -parrots, hummingbirds, moneys, and insects of all kinds live here.

Follow the torch lit path around the lake. Here the landscape is lush and beautiful, a treat for the senses. Take your time and linger. There is much to see. Colorful butterflies flutter from flower to flower, and a baby chimp plays on a swing. Hippos lumber in the shimmering water, but a small pile of bones reminds you to keep alert.

When you reach the cafe, you can pick up one of their yummy blueberry crumb muffins. Take a moment to sign the guest book, too, and drop a few Lindens in the tip jar if you can. All those hippos probably eat a lot. Then relax in one of the chairs on the deck. The pesky dragonfly will hover around you, but he won’t bite. Look for shadows on the water while you’re resting. Messmer has thought of everything.

When you’re finished feasting your eyes and your sweet tooth, you can find a quick TP behind the fan. It will zip you back up to the Serengeti. I’ve already been to Cap Estel Safari three times, but I’ll be back again soon. I always see something new each trip.

Grey Lupindo