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Snippets…

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Jay Richards and Judy Nobes took part in the Arts Revival Festival workshop on painting with acrylics on Tuesday.

11 Days Of Double Demerits: Double demerits start on Thursday, 24th December to Sunday, 3rd January 2021 (inclusive) and apply for all speeding, seat belt, motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences. Mobile Phone Detection Cameras will be used and fines issued. Drivers caught using their phones during this period will get a $457 fine and 10 demerits. With state borders now open and COVID restrictions further eased in NSW, authorities are expecting traffic to increase over the holiday period. NSW Police’s Central West Highway Patrol Sergeant Martin Ling said double demerit points worked as a deterrent for motorists’ bad behavior. “Statistics show there’s a 30% reduction in casualty crashes when double demerit points are in play. All available Highway Patrol Officers will be working. All Police cars are a mobile random breath and drug testing unit – it is not just rhetoric, it is true. In Central West Police District, we will be concentrating our efforts on back roads and regional roads.”

Water Restrictions Eased: The Parkes Shire recently moved to Level 1 restrictions, which means domestic users can water with soaker hoses, micro sprays and drip systems before 10am and after 5pm on a daily basis. Hand-held hoses can be used at any time. Parkes Shire Council’s

Director Infrastructure Andrew Francis said: “Council implements restrictions on water usage under the Local Government Regulation, to ensure water supply is preserved in times of drought or other water scarcity.” The Parkes water supply includes a network of eight groundwater bores, a connection to the Lachlan River, two surface reservoirs (Lake Endeavour and Lake Metcalfe) and an advanced water recycling facility. For more information about Council’s Water Management and tips on how to conserve water at your property visit www.parkes.nsw.gov.au

Help Manage Vegetation Growth: Council is reminding the community about the health and safety risks of overgrown blocks and verges. While Council is responsible for the maintenance and safety of public land, property owners in the Shire are responsible for their private property maintenance including vacant blocks, nature strips and laneways. Property owners need to ensure their property does not become a fire hazard or provide a place for vermin to live and breed. This includes keeping properties free from long grass and vegetation, as well as waste. For more information regarding overgrown and untidy properties, contact Council’s Planning and Environment Department on 6861 2373.

Santa was caught snoozing just outside Trundle this week… hope he wakes up in time for Christmas! (Photo: Keith Turk)

Santa’s Magical Kingdom In Parkes

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

CHRISTMAS CRAZY … Maree Tanswell, or the Crazy Christmas Lady as her grandkids call her, just loves Christmas and every year she shares her fascination by putting on a magical display at her house.

Maree Tanswell fits right into the magical Christmas scene where she stands next to an elf with a giant 10-foot Santa towering over them keeping an eye on his sleigh and reindeer and all the other elves adding to the entrancing scene in her garden in Molong street.

“I just love the spirit of Christmas, ever since I was a child.” Maree’s fascination with Christmas took her all the way to Finland five years ago to cross the Arctic Circle and visit the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi in Lapland where she met the ‘real’ Santa Claus.

“He reinforced everything I believed in,” said Maree pointing to her prized photo with Santa, which has a special place in her house every Christmas. “He did an exceptional job. I heard him speak six languages and he even knew where Parkes was!

Visiting that village where you could see Santa’s sleigh, feed the reindeer, send your Christmas letters and of course shop to your heart’s content, was the highlight of my fascination with Christmas.”

The impression lasted and when Maree saw a giant Santa in a shop in Newcastle last year, she just had to buy it. Luckily for her, the Santa can collapse, “but he still filled up my whole car!”

Santa needs elves, and this year Maree travelled to the famous Bredbo Christmas Barn north of Cooma where she found a beautiful set of elves. “I had to get the whole set, as their faces change every year! The owners of the Bredbo shop travel all over the world to get their supplies.” She also added the sleigh and reindeer to her ever-growing collection this year.

Maree Tanswell with the real Santa Claus when she visited the Santa Claus Village in Lapland, Finland in 2015.

She used to put up lights on the farm, but when they moved to Parkes four years ago, Maree saw her chance to get creative. Her collection has grown so much that she had to add a shipping container in the backyard for storage.

During the year Maree takes time to visit Christmas shops around the state on her quest to find unique items that appeal to her. This means the enchanting scene in her garden spills over into the house where the magic continues. The Christmas tree, mostly decorated with beautiful flowers, takes prime position in front of the window, specifically designed for display when the house was built.

“I will just carry on as I still have eight grandchildren with another on the way!” Children make Christmas special for Maree. “I’ve been very privileged to always have children around for Christmas, from my own children to my grandchildren.”

This year they will all be at her house to dress up on Christmas eve and spread some cheer to all the people driving past. She said many people have come past already and that brings a smile to her face knowing she can share the magic.

For Maree the secret of an enjoyable Christmas is to get organised early. “I find Christmas very peaceful and calming. I love having my family around, the Christmas carols and all the hustle and bustle.”

By Maggi Barnard

Rediscover Bushman’s Dam This Holiday

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

A turtle and a duck swimming together at Bushman’s Dam. (Photo: Kim Shambrook)

Did you know there are plumed whistling ducks at Bushman’s Dam in Parkes?

A reader of The Parkes Phoenix, Kim Shambrook, said she was spending time with her grandkids there recently and they discovered not only turtles, but also plumed whistling ducks. “We were excited to find lots of turtles swimming around, and then discovered the whistling ducks visit Parkes this time of the year.”

Kim wanted to remind residents to never feed bread to ducks as it has no nutritional value for them.

“How good is it to have Bushman’s Dam. It is a wonderful place to visit with grandchildren to explore and play,” said Kim.

Colouring-in Winners

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Joan Carolan (12) won the 7 – 12 category of our Christmas Colouring-in Competition and received her prize from Candy Jubb at Idlers Den on Tuesday.

Matilda (6) is the winner of the 1 – 6 category. Congratulations to both winners on doing a sterling job, and thank you to everyone else who entered.

Letters To Santa

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

One week to Christmas! Just enough time to still send those all important letters to Santa. You can post them at Terry Bros Parkes, and while you are there, get a photo in Santa’s sleigh with the kids!

Other fun activities to do with the kids in the run-up to Christmas is to go look at all the lights around town. There is a huge Christmas tree in Cooke Park, and many families have put up beautiful decorations all around town. There is also a $1,000 prize for the best local business Christmas window display. Time to go window shopping too!

Travels And Gifts Mix Well

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Global Gatherings is a new business in Forbes and was born from a love of travel and appreciation of unique handmade products made in communities striving for sustainable livelihoods.

The passion of the people and communities is the main reason the owners want to bring these products to a larger audience. “We feel that our business offers our customers a win-win situation. By purchasing one of our rare finds, you are not only getting a wonderful, handmade product for your home or business, you are also contributing to the preservation of many cultures by helping a craftsperson become financially independent. It is a true economic partnership in every sense of the word.”

Every product has a story. If you listen closely, every product will tell you of the hands that held it and crafted it with care. Every stitch, bead, carve, cut, sand and polish represent a moment an artisan has spent, practicing and perfecting their craft. Handcrafted products celebrate the traditions of cultures around the world.

Each product you purchase has the promise of taking you on an adventure. It is also a great spot to find Christmas presents that are unique and different.

www.globalgatherings.com.au

Shade For Christmas

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Phil Donato with Beth and Bill Thomas at Lake Endeavour where the Parkes Dragon Boat Club erected a shade structure with funding under the Local Sporting Grant Program. They are also holding new carbon fibre paddles purchased with the funding.

The Parkes Dragon Boat Club (PDBC) will be celebrating their Christmas paddle this Sunday under a brand new shade structure made possible with funding under the Local Sporting Grant Program.

Member for Orange, Phil Donato visited Lake Endeavour on Tuesday to see the fruits of the total of $20,680 the club had received under the program for three projects. The rest of the funding will go towards a sports development clinic for members, and new carbon fibre paddles were purchased.

“Dragon boating is growing in popularity, and its inclusiveness has played a big part in attracting newcomers to the sport,” said Phil. “Parkes is lucky to have the Endeavour Dam within close proximity providing an accessible body of water for members to gather and train on.”

The coach of PDBC, Beth Thomas said the club was extremely grateful for the support received. “The club is always welcoming new people to join and having great facilities and equipment make it so much more attractive to prospective members.”

The club trains on Thursday afternoons at 6pm and Sunday mornings at 9pm. Contact Beth on 0418 253 045 if you would like to do a try out session.

Editor’s Note

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

A year ago we were battling dust storms and smoke and could only hope the year 2020 (it had such a good ring to it) would roll in a positive change… little did we know how much of a transformation it would bring!

So much has been said and written about this turbulent year that will be etched into our memories forever. There have been countless challenges for all of us, but if we take a moment to reflect, we will all find some positives too.

During the lockdown I was forced out of my comfort zone and had to start digging deep to find positive stories for the paper every week. That was when I discovered once again what a wonderful community we live in, and how easy it was to find great stories once you started looking beyond the obvious.

I also realised, in asking people to write about their experiences, it brought the paper so much closer to the community and fulfilled a new role in sharing experiences and letting everyone know we are in this together.

The absence of events and therefore ‘news’ opened my eyes to the stories that really matter in our community and collecting and writing about these have brought me immense pleasure and satisfaction. Not only did the rain bring us relief and give us so much hope, but the community spirit we shared this year motivated us to keep on enjoying the simple pleasures in life.

I would like to send a big virtual hug to everyone who contributed to keeping our paper going this year. Thank you to our readers, advertisers and everyone who contributed a story, news tip, photo, thumbs up or letter. Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and serene 2021.

Maggi

Christmas Thoughts

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

It’s time to lift our spirits, raise a glass to happiness.
For Christmas is upon us, when joys o’ertop our stress.
Time to embrace Santa, reindeer, snow and Christmas cards
(Though the greeny-greys and browns outside sometimes make it hard)
Time for harvesting, for gathering in
Be it grain, or the year’s ideals.
Though some deny it, many share the excitement that I feel.

Current happenings in our world we find a little fearsome
Package up your doubt and fears,
But don’t put them on the tree.
Place boxes holding Peace and Joy,
Or filled with Love to spare.
Then watch those first two slink away
They have no business there.

Welcome all our newcomers, it’s sometimes hard to do.
To reach out from our safe little world
When beset by changes new.
But new friends bring a richness
That may catch us unaware.
As we swap our knowledge, we may find It’s a privilege to share.

Be humble, but not servile. We should all feel satisfaction
When good comes from a word or deed
A comfort, a kind action.
It isn’t glory-seeking, it’s a case of “job well done”
The profit is the thanks you get – it comes back to everyone.
Nurture friends, and help them,
You will get the same from them.
Remember, times were also tough in the days of Bethlehem.

Enough lecturing – It’s Christmas time!
Leave behind all thought of stress.
What matters if it’s noisy? Christmas wrappings make a mess.
It’s time for joyous homecomings
Laughter, peace and simple fun.
My message to you all is… GOD BLESS YOU – EVERYONE!

By Heather Veal

Peace, Love And Joy

December 18, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

It has been suggested that 2020 has been the most stressful year that most of us have ever experienced and so our government has invested much into providing anxiety care. I can imagine what my grandparents would say: “You should have seen what we went through: two world wars, the Spanish flu and the great depression!”

In spite of what has been a very difficult year, we have so much to be thankful for including the lifting of so many restrictions over the past few weeks. Our thoughts and prayers are for all who have experienced loss and grief including loss of loved ones, prolonged separation from family, downturn of business, loss of work and severe crop damage. May the special comfort we sing about at Christmas be especially yours.

The chosen family experienced all kinds of stress: a mandatory government census that required the heavily pregnant Mary to travel a long journey to her ancestral home, the struggle to find a place to stay and even a place to lay her new-born baby. Later they were forced to flee for their lives to a foreign country, as refugees.

But at every stage God provided for their needs. God brought many special visitors including humble shepherds and very wealthy Magi bringing expensive gifts. Most of all, they experienced God’s special peace.

This heavenly peace is promised to all who receive God’s Christmas gift given freely to everyone: His Son. We, all the local Church leaders, have been constantly praying for you and your families that you too will experience heavenly peace and provision especially over the holiday season. Please contact your local church leader regarding Christmas service times.

Heavenly peace, love and joy be multiplied to you and your family.

By Andrew Taggart
Parkes Ministers Association

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