Sunday 1st A very dull day. Being a vacant Sunday Willie & I walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe and Minnie.
Monday 2nd It rained nearly all morning, but it cleared up and was fine in the pm. The Steamer came in from Auckland about 1 pm. Willie went down for the mail, the seeds I ordered from Ryder of
St Albans arrived, I sent the order from here on the 11th March.
Willie got an axe handle at the store and I put it into the axe in the afternoon.
Tuesday 3rd Only a few slight showers during the day. Willie was fixing up the floors in the cow shed. I was getting firewood and washing out some towels.
Wednesday 4th It was a very fine day. Willie was putting in Oats just below the house.
I wrote a long letter to my son Henry and posted it in the afternoon, carried a bag of sand. Willie hauled some fruit down to the wharf in the afternoon and brought up Sharps, Bran & Chaff.
Thursday 5th The wind has changed to NW and it was a dull day, but it did not rain.
Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home pipers and 1 schnapper.
Mr Roose called in the morning, but he did not get an order.
In the morning I got firewood and turned the wood box out and sieved the chipps, I got over a kerosine tin full of chip dust which I put in the garden.
I sowed the following seeds in boxes and put them into the frame.
3 sorts of Pansies, Jacobea, Galega Antirrhinum (Tom Thumb), Cochia or burning bush & Single Wallflower, also planted out a red Rose that came from Mr Banks and 6 Antirrhinum plants, and cut some grass off the tracks.
Friday 6th It rained heavily last night and this morning, then it cleared up and was fine in the afternoon with the exception of one shower. Willie was splitting posts on the hill. I got some soil on the hill for the garden . In the evening I went for the mail and attended the Library.
Saturday 7th It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up a bag of sand.
Willie was baking a batch of bread.
In the afternoon I carried soil for the garden, got firewood and planted out 7 Canditufts.
Sunday 8th It was a very fine day. In the morning I walked over to the Claim to spend the day with Jim & Jane. We went to Church at the Hall in the afternoon , Revd Blundell officiated, I staid all night.
Monday 9th It was a fine day. After breakfast I walked to Mr Robert Williams to take Mrs Williams some flower plants, she gave me a lot of plants to bring home. I had dinner there and had a nice chat with my old friend Robert. Walked home in the afternoon without calling in at Jims again, feeling rather tired, however after a short rest I went out in the garden and planted the following that Mrs R. W. gave me, Red Coial plant, Mauve Penstemon, & 2 Pink Escoltzias. Grace returned in the evening from Auckland.
Tuesday 10th It was a fine day, it came over misty in the afternoon, but it did not rain.
I was working in the flower garden all day , I planted the remainder of the plants I got from Mrs Williams, also some Marigolds, Nigellas, Dwarf Nasturtiumes, a Hugh Dickson rose, dug round the Azalia and manured it with horse dung.
Wednesday 11th It was a fine day, but the wind has gone round to the SE and threatens for bad weather.
I was working in the flower garden digging &c, planted a clump of Candituft.
Willie has insured his life in the Govt Life Insurance and he went down to Harpers in the afternoon to be passed by Dr Menzies, which Willie did successfully.
Thursday 12th A very wintery day, showers and wind blowing strong from the SE. I did not do much outside. There was a farewell social to Mabel Wyatt who is shortly to be married to Harry Ashton.
Willie & Grace went, but on account of the weather I stayed at home. It was not a large gathering, Mr A. Haskell on behalf of the donors presented Mabel with a handsome time-piece.
Friday 13th It was a showery day. In the morning I went down for the mail, changed some Library books for people. Willie went fishing to Ti Point with Mr Glass, but he had not much luck.
Saturday 14th A showery and dull day. Willie cleaned out the fowl house and cut tea tree on the hill.
I got a lot of firewood and several loads of soil for the garden.
In the evening I came over very giddy and was feeling very unwell.
Sunday 15th It was very fine and bright in the morning, but it came over dull in the afternoon.
Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Harold & Flo’. I was not feeling well so I staid at home.
Monday 16th It was a fine day, only one slight shower. Willie was digging in Algerian Oats between the trees in the pigs paddock.
I planted in a box some small bulbs of Vallota, planted a Rose I got from Mr Whitaker near the wire fence near the summer house.
Went to Mr Jas Greenwoods and got a plant of Lantana which I brought home and planted, got a sack of leaves out of the bush, also a sack of horse dung and put on the rubbish heap. Mr McMahon came to spend the evening.
Tuesday 17th There were several rather heavy showers during the day. Willie was digging in Oats between the trees in the pigs paddock.
After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, the Roses I ordered from Lippiatt came, but I was not able to plant them on account of the showers. Willie & Grace went to Mr Glass’ in the evening.
Wednesday 18th It was a beautiful day. Willie was digging in Oats between the trees in the pigs paddock.
I planted the 8 Rose trees I got from Lippiatt. viz Rayon D’Oi and Mrs Foley Hobbs in the long bed.
Mrs Fred Straker in the diamond bed.
Mrs David McKee in the row opposite the summer house.
Lady Ashtown, Madam Abel Chantenay and Jacques Vincent near the front gate and George C. Waud near the lemon tree.
In the afternoon I went down to the village to get the mail, carried up a bag of sand.
Thursday 19th It rained continuously nearly all day. I did nothing outside. Wrote a letter to Alan Wallace.
Friday 20th It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, changed some Library Books for some subscribers.
Mr Murray came for me to witness his signature. Mrs Handby also came for the same purpose and staid for dinner. Willie was working up at the shed. I got firewood and also soil, leaves & manure for the garden.
Saturday 21st It was a very fine day. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home a few schnappers. After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail.
The remainder of the day I got firewood, prepared kerbing and fixed it.
Sunday 22nd It was a very fine day. Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Harold & Flo’, they saw Jim, Jane and the children who were spending the day there. I walked up the hill and spent the day at John Greenwoods where I always meet with a hearty welcome, a good many of the family have been laid up with mumps and some have it now, they gave me a lot of flower cuttings.
Monday 23rd It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing from SE.
Willie was gathering up manure and digging in Oats in the pigs paddock. I was working in the flower garden all day, I planted all the cuttings and plants that John Greenwood gave me, also planted a pink & white Pelagonium and I took up & replanted 2 Canuas.
Tuesday 24th It was a very fine day. Willie went down to the village in the morning to get the mail, the remainder of the day he was cutting tea tree on the hill.
Grace went down to the wharf after dinner to see Harold and Flo’ off who are going to Auckland from here in the “Kawau“, but the Steamer had left the wharf when she got down so she was only able to wave at them, when she was down there she heard the sad news of the fatal accident to Jack Dunning who was working somewhere on the main trunk, Jim and Archie went up by the “Kawau” to bring the body home for interment.
I got firewood and then worked in the flower garden. I took up and replanted a root of Canna, took up 2 Dahlias, and planted a clump of blue Laikspurs.
Wednesday 25th It was a very fine day. Willie was cutting tea tree outside the fence on the hill. I got wood and then worked in the flower garden, I took up and then replanted a clump of pink Gladioli, took up and replanted a plant of Stokesia, also planted 2 clumps of Candituft & 1 of blue Larkspur.
Went down for the mail in the pm, heard that Mr Glass had bought Ernest Pratts place for £400. Carried up a bag of sand.
Thursday 26th It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and carried it across to the wharf. Willie hauled a load of fruit down so he brought my sand up.
Mr McMahon left the district for good by the Steamer today. When I got home I prepared and fixed some kerbing.
When we were having dinner Minnie came, having come round from Ti Point by the “Kawau“. After dinner I got Minnie a lot of cuttings and plants of flowers which she carried home with her.
Willie & Grace were planting Strawberry plants the upper side of the house. I went down for the mail & attended the Library in the evening.
Friday 27th It was a beautiful day. Willie & Grace were planting strawberry plants the upper side of house. I dug out some periwinckle near the wire fence and carried two kerosene tins of soil to fill up the hollow.
The funeral of the late Jack Dunning took place in this cemetery this afternoon at 2.30, it was largely attended . Revd O. Blundell officiated at the grave. Mr Glass came up here for tea.
Saturday 28th It was a fine day ‘tho very dull. Willie went fishing with Mr Glass to Ti Point, but he only brought home one schnapper.
I got wood the other side of the hill and the remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden. I got a bag of horse manure and several loads of soil &c to fill up the lower side of the new path, took up 3 Dahlias and stored them under the house, dug up some of the border under the dining room window.
Sunday 29th It was a fine day, there was a misty rain at about 8 am but it cleared up very bright after. Willie, Grace & I walked to Ti Point to spend the day, the two former went to Joes, but I went to Duncan Knaggs where I dined, Eddie Wyatt was also there, in the pm we all went across to the sandspit in Duncan’s boat, in returning they put me ashore at the wharf, called at Joe’s for Willie & Grace, Alma & Dorothy went home with us.
Monday 30th It was a beautiful day. Willie was cutting tea tree outside the fence on the hill.
I was working in the flower garden, I planted out a Euonomous, took up and replanted 2 Coliopsis‘, took up 4 Dahlias and stored them away. Gracie Knaggs sent me over cuttings of White Pelaigoniums & Ards Rover Rose which I planted.