Christmas at Riversleigh Manor

Riversleigh Manor is a rambling old house with quarters all over the place. It is a bit like a rabbit warren and some guests have disappeared never to be seen again.

This manor house was once the house of Lord and Lady Riversleigh and after the death of Lord Riversleigh was inherited by Lady Sibyl Riversleigh, the youngest daughter of the Riversleigh's. It is the first port of call for pilgrims who step through Enchanteur's magic portal.

Paths lead, from Riversleigh through the Murmuring Woods to the The Hermitage, the Lemurian Abbey and the cove where the Calabar is often moored.

Riversleigh Manor is the base home of those who have decided to come and discover the magic of Lemuria.

This year Sibyl Riversleigh is bringing back an old Riversleigh tradition by opening the house and inviting guests to spend a season with her over the Thanksgiving, Christmas Holiday period.

Lady Sibyl Riversleigh is the youngest daughter of Lord Riversleigh. Her mother died at the time of her birth and Lord Riversleigh sent her to boarding school, in the City of Ladies, the captial of Lemuria, when she was only five. Lady Riversleigh was educated in fine arts at the Cyberian Mouseion and is an accomplished actress.

Lord Riversleigh never approved of Sibyl's career or her determination to remain single and he disowned her when she went on the stage at a theatre in Cyberia.

Sadly, Lord Riversleigh, had much in common with Ebenezer Scrooge of Dickens fame. Like Scrooge, Riversleigh had a "tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone." No one liked the man. The majority of the tenants at Riversleigh "knew him to be a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice."

Charles was little better. "Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, "My dear Charles, how are you? When will you come to see me?" No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Charles. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, "No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!"

Upon the death of her father and brother Charles, Sibyl inherited the family Manor house. When she returned she found the manor house, the estate and village had all fallen in to disrepair. All joy had long been stripped from the place. Riversleigh was all but a desert, a wasteland.

One night, as she sat alone, in one of the empty rooms, shivering from the cold that filled the place, the ghost of her mother came. Her mother held her gently and explained how her death had embittered Riversleigh, She reminded Sibyl of times they had spent in the Murmuring Woods and pleaded with her to help restore joy to the old estate. She explained that this was the only way that old Riversleigh could be freed from the terrible judgment that had been imposed upon him upon his death.

To inspire Sibyl, her mother told her all about the the annual renewal festival of the Babylonians and explained how this festival was adopted by the Persians. She explained how one of the themes of these festivals was the temporary subversion of order. Sibyl listened in awe as her mother explained how masters and slaves exchanged places and a mock king was crowned. Apparently masquerades spilled into the streets as the old year died, rules of ordinary living were relaxed.

With a mission in her heart, Sibyl has opened the doors of Riversleigh. for the Christmas New Year Season. She has agreed to help create a special Advent Festival and will ensure that December is a time of sheer Dionysian joy.

No sooner did Sibyl agree to give over to wild joy than a transformation began. New life has been breathed in to the whole estate. The house is now open to artists, writers, musicians and travelling itinerants and people are arriving from all over the world. Feasts and gift giving have begun and the place is being decorated with greenery.

Under her mother's guidance Sibyl is becoming a true patron of the arts and a muse to many who come live in this old house.

Take the time to build Riversleigh Manor out of Lego or download and sketch Riversleigh using Google Sketchup. Alternatively you can use this template and create your own Riversleigh. Of course you can create your own design. Once you have made your house position it on a table, forming a special altar which will provide a space for you to send seasons blessings to everyone who shares the house this year.

If he were alive today Lord Riversleigh might have had a guest appearance on the ABC program 'Collectors'. Riversleigh travelled extensively and invariably bought back a gargoyle or had sculptures come to Riversleigh to make statues which now line the entrance and fill quiet nooks in the gardens.

When you play statues at Riversleigh you bring a statue to life and tell its story. Find a statue and breathe life in to it today.

'Twas The Month Before Christmas, when all through Riversleigh,

Lady Sibyl was preparing for a fab holiday.
The blogs were all ready, sweet like sugar plums

When yon came those
pirates and their bottles of rum.

Join in by using the comment tool.

Come down to the Riversleigh kitchen and, over coffee and cake exchange a recipe with Ebony Wilder. Ebony will have her staff make dinner each night, some times for guests to have in their rooms, and if she knows what you like they will make it for you.

Of course, staff will accept voluntary help in the kitchen if you feel like rolling up your sleeves and joining in.

Be warned! The biggest risk you run in Ebony's kitchen is 'Death by Chocolate'.

An Alleluia Chorus is a chorus comprising of one or two who think that the gifts at Soul Food are pan de cielo, bread of heaven.

You can help form a very special Alleluia Chorus by regularly commenting on the work of those people who have the courage to put themselves on the line and post on the public blogs at Soul Food.

Everyone at Soul Food came, humbly, hoping to find a warm spot where their creativity would flourish. iversleigh Manor is just one place where everyone is valued for their gift. Sibyl Riversleigh is the choir master who leads a very special choir.