Delia Lake's cabin is a self-sustaining dwelling. A wind turbine and solar panels on the roof power the cabin. She has made available a solar panel that can be copied and used by any visitor in the construction of his or her own dwelling. Delia hopes to influence other Second Life builders to design dwellings that are self-sustaining and at harmony with the environment. The cabin itself is spacious and comfortable. Delia has placed information around the cabin regarding the book she coauthored and research on the fragility of some of the earth's ecosystems.
Delia placed a keyhole garden behind the cabin. To learn more about keyhole gardens watch this video. Since it is winter in the Albaycin Preserve Delia has placed a winter greenhouse over the garden that can be removed in warmer weather. A rain catcher with "holes in the top disc so that the water can come through and run down the plastic sheeting onto the compost and seep into the garden itself" tops it. According to Delia these gardens could be built anywhere in the US, Europe, southern South America, Russia, and most of China.
Delia briefly explained some aspects of the flora, fauna, and geography of the sim to me. "Since this sim is set in a north temperate area, it will change with the seasons. Right now [it] is winter, but the look of the place will change in spring, summer and fall."
She continued, "Many of the plants and animals here would be native to the Pais Vasco area—oaks, beaches, pines, some maples, fruit and nut trees. Many of the birds and marine animals [would also be native to the region], but not all of them. All of the plants and animals could live in these conditions though. I have chosen to treat my natural builds in [Second Life] as people have treated places to with they have immigrated for eons in [Real Life]. Humans have brought with them as they migrated some favorite plants and animals from their old homes. The ones ... suited to the new conditions adapted and thrived. A few of the trees and animals here I have made/brought to [Second Life]. Most, though, were made/brought into [Second Life] by other people".
A nice place to enjoy the beauty of the sim is the patio and vineyard located along the southern coastline of the bay. There you can pick grapes from the vine, squash them in a large wooden tub, and drink the fruits of your labor on an open, cobbled patio overlooking the bay. In the future Delia plans to host small music events and discussion groups on the patio.
The sim is unfinished, but the work Delia has completed is astounding.
I want to thank Delia for being so gracious with me. She was courteous and answered all my questions without hesitation.
Well, another entry is done. I still have much to write about though. My next entry will be about Ronnie Rhode, an avatar who has built a garden in Second Life dedicated to helping solve missing person cases in the United States. Until then, take care of yourselves.
Remember, comments are appreciated.
Sincerely,
Pluton Karas
this is a great post, Pluton.
ReplyDeletei have been a geography teacher for many years, but this is the first i have heard of keyhole gardens.
i followed the youtube link and had my eyes opened.
thank you :-)
The nice thing about bringing plants to a sim from somewhere else is that you don't have to worry about how they're going to affect the native environment. I'm thinking of the trees, shrubs, and so on that have been brought to Phoenix so peopled can "feel more at home." But it's great to see where your imagination will take you. Thank you for sharing.
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