Living & Lifestyle Archives - Page 31 of 52

Mothers Day Cheesecake Recipe

April 28, 2023 By Roxane Manley

With Mother’s Day around the corner, what better way to celebrate than making your own Strawberry and Lemon Cheesecake – a recipe from Young Living’s Culinary Oil Brand Ambassador, Chef Kate.

INGREDIENTS

Crust Ingredients

1½ cups roughly chopped dates

½ cup roughly chopped almonds/cashews

½ cup shredded coconut

½ tsp vanilla essence (optional)

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

4 drops Young Living’s Lemon essential oil

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

2 cups raw soaked cashews

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup maple syrup or honey (to taste)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 – 6 drops Young Living’s Lemon essential oil (to taste)

1 cup sliced strawberries

Strawberries for decorating (optional)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, blend all the crust ingredients together until a sticky dough forms.

2. Press the crust into the bottom of silicone cupcake moulds, then place in the fridge to set while you make the cheesecake filling.

3. To make the filling, blend together all the filling ingredients except for the strawberries in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. You may add more sweetener and/or Lemon essential oil to taste and blend again.

4. Spoon half the mixture (leaving the rest to make the strawberry layer) into the cupcake moulds and smooth leaving room in each mold for the pink strawberry layer.

5. Add the sliced strawberries into the remaining filling mixture and blend until smooth. Spoon the strawberry layer on top of the first layer, smooth the top, add strawberry slices, if using and place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours to overnight.

6. When ready to serve, remove the cheesecakes from the moulds, let them thaw for 5 – 10 minutes and then enjoy!

Local Bicycle Mechanic Gearing Up For Mudgee Classic

April 28, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Aaron Arnott from Bicky’s Cycle Shed is excited for the Mudge Classic Cycle event being held this weekend.

In an extremely exciting development for the cycling community in Parkes, local bicycle mechanic Aaron Arnott, better known as Bicky from Bicky’s Cycle Shed, has been selected to provide services for the Mudgee Classic Cycle event.

The Mudgee Classic, being held this weekend 29th and 30th April, is a major cycling event that attracts over 2,000 riders annually to the picturesque city of Mudgee.

The event caters for all levels of cycling ability, with four different event distances ranging from 35km to 175km.

Aaron has been servicing bikes in Parkes for over 20 years and completed Certificate II and III at the Bicycle Mechanic Training Institute, the industry standard and only recognised qualification under the Australian Training Framework. He has since gained a reputation for his expertise and attention to detail.

His skills were noticed by the organisers of the Mudgee Classic, who were impressed by his knowledge and absolute professionalism. This will be the third time that Aaron has been invited to provide services to the participants at the Mudgee event.

This opportunity will not only allow Aaron to showcase his abilities to a wider audience, but provide a valuable service to the riders, ensuring that their bikes are in top condition for the challenging ride.

Aaron attended both the Mudgee and Bowral cycle events last year, which are recognised as significant fixtures on the cycling calender.

Aarons selection is undoubtedly a proud moment for the entire cycling community in Parkes. It is testament to his dedication, hard work and passion, and we wish him all the best for the event.

World Premier Of Cracks In The Mirror A Cracking Success

April 28, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Cracks in the Mirror tackles some very topical subjects in a respectful and authentic manner through five very talented actresses; Kimberley Ryan, Jade McGovern, Maddison Collits, Ruth Barnes and Amelia Regnier.

By all accounts, the Parkes M&D Society’s newest production, Cracks in the Mirror, which opened on the weekend is a hit!

Comments left by the audience were gushing in their praise including: “Absolutely brilliant, could not have been better. Loved. Loved Loved!”; “Beautiful story, beautiful voices and awesome acting”; “Love it! The girls are amazing!”

The production is an original musical with script and Lyrics by Lyn Townsend, and musical composition by Gail Smith. The musical arrangements were handled by Anthony Leonard and Gail Smith.

There are a few ‘cheeky’ moments in the play, hence the recommendation for people 14 and over.

Writer Lyn Townsend said, “We have been overwhelmed with the response. We had a good feeling when we wrote a few of the songs and felt pretty good about the finished product. But really, the strength of this production is the cast and band. We were so lucky they came on board and took this journey with us!”

Cracks in the Mirror also received a glowing review in Stage Whispers, the national theatre magazine, with reviewer, Robert Cocks noting the production has “Clever, topical storylines, powerful ballads, catchy, toe-tapping tunes, and music that crosses multiple genres and would sit nicely on any Spotify playlist.” Read more of the wonderful review at www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/cracks-mirror.

Cracks in the Mirror runs for two more weekends, closing 7th May. Tickets are available at www.parkesmandd.com.au or you can email ticket requests to parkesmandd2870@gmail.com

Residents Feel Let Down By Closure Of Parkes ANZ Bank Branch

April 28, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The Parkes branch of the ANZ Bank closed its doors for the last time on 19th April.

The Finance Sector Union (FSU) is calling on the major banks to stop closing bank branches in metropolitan and regional areas while a Senate Inquiry into Regional Branch Closures is underway.

ANZ recently closed its Parkes branch which services both Parkes and Forbes residents. The bank has also notified the FSU it will close Clarkson in WA, Patterson Lakes in Victoria and Lane Cove in NSW with the loss of 15 jobs in June.

Additionally, the CBA has notified the FSU it will close branches at Bull Creek in WA and Aspley, Qld in June with the loss of 12 jobs.

Both the CBA and ANZ have committed to pausing regional closures while the Inquiry continues.

“The major banks are making massive profits and yet they continue to shut down branches and they don’t care about customers and businesses who are impacted by these closures,” Ms Angrisano said.

“The morale of bank workers is at rock bottom as they wait to hear if their branch and their job is on the hit list.”

NAB refuses to acknowledge community concerns and has announced branches at Jeparit and Inverloch in Victoria will close. Branches at Boonah, Qld and Queanbeyan, NSW will also be shut down. Each NAB branch will close in July.

“The NAB’s behaviour is outrageous, completely out of step with community expectations and in breach of its social license,” Ms Angrisano said.

“The FSU believes the banks should be compelled to pause all closures, in metropolitan and regional areas, while the Senate Inquiry is underway.”

“Australians deserve to have access to the full range of financial services no matter where they live.”

Major Power Maintenance For Parkes Area

April 28, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Essential Energy will commence work next week on a major maintenance program on the electricity network that supplies power to Parkes, Lake Cargelligo, and the surrounding areas.

Operations Manager Central, Andrew Hinchcliffe, said that the major works would see more than 130 tasks completed across the area over five consecutive days. “Crews will be replacing 30 power poles, 18 pole crossarms, upgrading and refurbishing 14 transformers and replacing various other network components that have reached end of life,” Andrew said.

A series of planned power outages will be necessary for the works to be completed safely, and these have been scheduled to occur daily from Monday, 1 May to Friday, 5 May 2023. Customers will receive Essential Energy’s standard outage notifications, advising the dates and times of outages affecting them.

“We are bringing in additional crews and equipment from Condobolin, Forbes, Griffith, Lake Cargelligo, Leeton and West Wyalong depots to work with our local Parkes crews to help complete this large program of works,” Andrew said.

“Significant planning has been undertaken to complete the large program of works as quickly and safely as possible, with a significant amount of work being completed in a relatively short time across the area, to reduce the overall inconvenience on affected communities.”

The scheduled works are reliant on suitable weather conditions and may be postponed if the conditions are unfavourable or any unforeseen circumstances arise.

“We appreciate that planned power outages may cause inconvenience for some customers, but they are vital to ensure a safe and reliable power network for these communities,” Andrew said.

Marnie’s Great German Adventure

April 21, 2023 By Marnie

Marnie Noakes is enjoying her third month abroad in Germany as an exchange student.

It’s Marnie, and here is another update from Germany. Wow! Three months already, and what an amazing three months it has been. I have done so many amazing things and have made so many amazing memories. Here are just some of them.

I went to a town called Rothenburg for the day with my first host parents. There is a wall surrounding the town and we walked through part of it, which was really cool. We also went to the Christmas museum.

I attended a Rotary meeting which was the three clubs in my town combined. It was a great evening and I met lots of people.

I also met a man and his wife who have lived in Australia, they were very nice and they invited me over for an evening. One evening we went to a castle about 10 minutes out of Würzburg and then went back to their home for dinner.

Easter is a lot bigger here in Germany, it is very common for family to travel and meet up like we would for Christmas. I did two egg hunts, which is quite common and very fun. Another traditional German celebration I took part in was eating my brightly coloured boiled eggs.

I went to a Roman museum in Osterburken with my current (second) host family and we also went to Stuttgart to see a museum with special architecture.

I have just arrived back from Berlin, the capital of Germany. We went there for four days and it was amazing. My host mum and I saw and did so many things, just two of them being the remains of the Berlin Wall and an Egyptian museum with the very famous bust of Nefertiti.

I’m having an amazing time, and I hope you enjoyed my update!

Marnie

Free Online Child Car Seat Safety Workshops

April 21, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Parents, carers and grandparents of young children are invited to attend one of two free online workshops being held next week to provide important safety information about child car seats.

Workshops are being conducted by Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils in partnership with Transport for NSW West Region. The workshops will be held via MS Teams, on Tuesday 2 May at 10am and on Wednesday 3 May at 7pm, and will run for about an hour.

Councils Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said the correct selection, installation and adjustment of child car seats is vital in ensuring children’s safety when travelling in vehicles. “The workshop will cover the National Child Restraint Laws, types of child car seats available, correct installation and adjustment, when to move to the next car seat, accessories, tips for secondhand car seats and much more.”

“It will be a great refresher for grandparents, as child car seats and the rules have changed a lot since they had their children, but also for parents and carers as they are navigating their way through their child or children’s growth.”

“Local checking day events show that around 80% of the child car seats we checked were incorrectly installed. Transport for NSW research shows that children who are not restrained correctly are seven times more likely to sustain life-threatening injuries in a crash than those who are properly secured. It is so important to ensure your precious cargo is safe,” said Ms Suitor.

To book your place, visit the event listing on the Councils Facebook pages or call Ms Suitor on (02) 6861 2364.

Head To Eugowra This Anzac Day

April 21, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The Mates4Harness Flood Relief Anzac Day Race meet will bring the community together to celebrate the Anzac spirit while supporting local flood victims.

A family focused event, the race day will have something for everyone from live music, auctions, free kids amusements, mobile rides, mini trots, ice-cream, free facepainting and of course harness racing action and a drivers invitational race.

Anzac day will also be commemorated with a parade at the course and 2 Up, where punters can try their luck off the track as well.

The day will kick off at 12.15pm at the Eugowra Showground Paceway.

It is great to see the Eugowra community bounce back after the 2022 floods. The huge community and Council effort to get the infrastructure of Eugowra back in shape to host such events is commendable.

If you are looking for something different to do with the family this Anzac Day, head on over to Eugowra to support the community In their recovery efforts.

For more information on the Mates4Harness Flood Relief Harness Race Day, head on over to www.eugowraharnessracing.com or check out Eugowra Harness Racing Club Facebook Page.

Share Our Air

April 14, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Balloons gracing our autumn skies, ready for the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge. Image courtesy of Farmpix Photography.

The annual Canowindra International Balloon Challenge kicked off on Wednesday, 12th April, with balloons gracing the skies at both sunrise and sunset over the rolling hills of Canowindra.

Canowindra’s biggest festival brings the community together to welcome thousands of visitors, who trek from across the country to celebrate all things ballooning.

There is so much more than just ballooning on offer. Kick off the weekend with the street parade from 10am on Saturday, 15th April.

The main event, the Canowindra Balloon Glow will start at 3pm with plenty on offer for everyone. A true family friendly event, with live music, food, drink and market stalls. It will be an evening not to be missed with Golden Guitar winners, Darlinghurst Band performing alongside local artists.

Festival updates will be posted on the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge facebook page. Get your tickets at 123tix.com.au

Tickets Selling Fast For PMJRLC Sportsmans Fundraising Dinner

April 14, 2023 By Roxane Manley

On Monday 10th April, rugby league legend, Royce Simmons set off from Dubbo on his Big Walk to raise funds for Dementia.

Royce is set to walk into Parkes next Thursday, 20th of April and the Parkes Marist Junior Rugby League Club (PMJRLC) is holding a Sportsman’s Dinner to assist in Royce’s fundraising efforts. Some of the funds raised on the night will also go back to the PMJRLC.

Guest speakers at the dinner will include rugby league legends, Royce Simmons, Terry Lamb and Garry Jack, with former local boy and NRL star Luke Goodwin.

An auction with some great signed sporting memorabilia on offer will be supported by raffles, lucky door prizes and a Q&A session with the special guest speakers.

The Sportsmans Dinner will start at 6.30pm at the Parkes Services Club and tickets cost $35pp. If you have not yet organised a table and purchased tickets, be sure to do so quickly so you don’t miss out.

Tickets are available at www.123tix.com.au/events/38306/royces-big-walk-parkes

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