Whimberley is an attractive place. A whole region, rated moderate, it is beautifully crafted and serene. Ideal for couples, there are many places to stop and enjoy the setting, with vistas of water and woodland, secluded cabins and carefully realised landscapes. But if you wish to see it, it may already be too late, Whimberly will "go dark" on September 8th. The region is owned by Ethan and Staubi Reilig, with the actual landscaping falling to Staubi. In her parting announcement she explains that in the last two years she has made no changes and done no new building in the region, nor do the couple live in the region any more. She goes on to explain that it was made to provide backgrounds for her personal Blog, but since she no longer decorates, nor writes her blog, then the region is redundant. To me this highlights a recurring issue if you enjoy building and landscaping. What to do when it is "finished"? Initially it's a lot of fun just being in the space you have made, sharing it with others. Encouraging photography opens new insights into how people see and use the space but in time even the most magical places can lose their lustre. Even so it can be hard to let go, either clearing the space to free resources for something new, or simply moving on. I have been there, even with my modest projects, the point where it has to go, so today I visited Whimberly, to see what I might learn and to make some last images. It sounds awful, but I honestly could not remember if I had visited before. A place like this must surely have come to my attention in the seven years it has been open, and it was only when I walked down a rustic avenue of pine trees that a sense of the familiar arose. Whimberly has a Flickr Group and you will see from the earliest pictures that mush has changed over time. The current build is mature, well observed and subtle. From my perspective it is fascinating to see familiar assets used in new ways. The fact that it is a Homestead region and limited to 5000 prims is even more of a tribute to clever and economical design, No more words, I'll let you browse through my impressions.
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AuthorI love well-crafted regions, and have spent many years wandering SL, avoiding yards of plywood and looking for the best places to spend my time... Archives
September 2023
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