Thursday 1st It was a fine day, although the weather is threatening and the wind blowing from the E. In the morning I was helping Willie dig in the orchard.
In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden., I sowed seeds in the open of Shirley Poppy, Caliopsis & Amaranthus.
Donald Jones who is to be married to Miss Ida Darroch next Tuesday came in the afternoon to get his Marriage Certificate, he staid for tea and he and I went down to the village afterwards, he to meet the “Kawau” from Auckland and I to get our mail and attend Library.
Friday 2nd It was very dull in the morning. Willie cut his foot badly through his boot while cutting firewood on the hill, he and I were digging in the orchard, we dug round two trees when it came on to rain so we had to knock off, however it was dinner time.
There was a working bee of ladies to clean out the Hall , 10 turned up, Jane went. Ab Wyatt stoked for them. It rained steadily all afternoon and evening.
Saturday 3rd It rained nearly all day, especially in the afternoon. We were not able to do anything out of doors except get some firewood.
Sunday 4th There were a few showers otherwise it was a fine day.
Mr Bottomley (Wesleyan) of Port Albert was to have held service in the afternoon, but on account of the rain yesterday he did not start from home. I called on Mrs Carr in the afternoon & staid tea, Bert Witten was also there.
Monday 5th Willie and I were digging in the orchard in the morning. In the afternoon it was showery.
Tuesday 6th There were a few showers in the morning. Willie and I were digging in the orchard. In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden.
Wednesday 7th It was comparative a fine day , only a few slight showers. Willie & I were digging in the orchard. In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer. Willie took the Eggs down to the store. In the evening he took the horse down to the wharf and brought up 100 lbs Flour & a Bag of Sugar that came by the “Kawau” this afternoon.
Thursday 8th It was a fine day. Willie and I were digging in the orchard in the morning. In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden digging the piece of ground under the dining room casement.
Jane was down at the Hall all day decorating for the Ball tomorrow night.
In the evening we were all down at the village, I got the mail and attended the Library. There was to have been a meeting of the Farmers Association, but Mr J. Harrison of Whangarei who is a candidate for the Marsden Electorate wanted the Hall to give an address, so the Farmers Meeting was postponed. A good many assembled to hear Mr Harrison, he is a good speaker, but is a supporter of the Government, I was Chairman.
Mr McNeil representing the Co-op Egg Co called here in the morning.
Friday 9th It was a fine day. Willie was digging in the orchard all day. In the morning Jane and I went down to the Hall to help cut up sandwiches, and prepare other things for the Ball, I cut up the ham for them.
We all went to the Ball in the evening which was given by the ladies of the district to celebrate leap year, it was a great success, the Hall was beautifully decorated, and lit up, the floor in splendid order, a most beautiful supper and good music consisting of two violins, one cornet and piano, a great many of the ladies were in fancy dress, Jane went as Grandmama, there were not many gents in fancy dress.
Saturday 10th It was a fine day. Willie and I finished digging the orchard in the morning, in the pm I was working in the flower garden, and later on I went down to the beach and carried home some sand. Willie went out fishing but only caught two cods, but Archie Morley gave him two Kawhais. Jane went down to the Hall to clear up and afterwards played Tennis, she brought home some sandwiches and cakes that were left over from the Ball.
Sunday 11th It was very dull first thing in the morning and looked very much like rain, but later on the wind began to blow and the sun to shine and it was a beautiful day.
Revd S. Entrican (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the morning, Mr Holmes McKinney an Elder of the Church attended and after the service a meeting was held to consider the desirability of giving a call to Revd Entrican, by a show of hands it was decided to do so.
In the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys and staid tea. Willie rode to Ti Point to spend the day.
Monday 12th The wind was from W to SW very showery in the morning, but finer in the afternoon.
Willie and I stuck the 2 rows of Peas at the top side of the house. I had to go up the hill and get some new tea tree sticks as the old ones were very rotten. In the afternoon Willie planted out 2 rows of Enfield Market Cabbage over manured drills between the potatoes & peas and between the 2 rows of peas. Bert Witten called in the afternoon and staid for tea.
Tuesday 13th It was a showery day. Willie and I were digging in the garden above the wire fence near the orchard gate, we planted 2 rows of Dunn Beans next the potatoes.
Wednesday 14th It was a showery day. Willie was digging between the Peach trees in the garden.
I was working in the flower garden all day, planting out young plants. I went down to the beach in the pm to get some sand, Mr Banks hauled it up to our lower gate. This being Labour day the “Kawau” was not going to leave Auckland until midnight tonight.
Thursday 15th It was a fine day. Willie and I were digging below the house in the morning, in the afternoon I was working in the flower garden.
Mrs Banks & her mother, Mrs Helsby came to spend the day, Minnie came round in the Steamer and came up here for dinner, she brought us some Tomato & Onion plants. She walked home in the afternoon. Willie and I were down in the village in the evening, there was a meeting of the Farmers Association.
Friday 16th It was a fine day. We found that the heifer “Rosey” had calved, Willie got her up and milked her.
In the morning I went down to the wharf to see if the Maize and Sharps had arrived, but the “Kawau” was not going to leave Auckland until 2 pm today. We were digging just below the house. Alma & Agnes came in the afternoon to stay.
Saturday 17th It was a fine day. Willie packed a Sack of Maize and a Sack of Sharps from the wharf.
In the afternoon we planted 8 Tomato plants near the path at the front gate. The girls went with Jane to the Tennis in the pm.
Sunday 18th It was a fine day. None of us went out anywhere.
Monday 19th It was a fine day. We finished digging the piece of ground under the bay window.
In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden.
Mr Torkington called in the morning. Alma & Agnes returned home in the afternoon.
Tuesday 20th There were several slight showers during the day, but not sufficient to wet the ground. In the morning Willie & I were hoeing the Potatoes scattering B & B manure round the plants before hand. In the afternoon Willie finished hoeing the Potatoes by himself. I was working in the flower garden. I planted 26 Pansy plants in the round bed, also 4 Lupins and 4 French Marigolds.
Jane went to a meeting in the Hall to settle up for the Ladies Ball.
Wednesday 21st Willie and I were digging round the young Diamond Plum trees just above the wire netting in the morning. In the afternoon it was very showery so that I could not do anything out of doors, later on it poured with rain, Willie took the Eggs down to the store.
Thursday 22nd It was a showery day. Willie & I finished digging the piece of ground near the orchard gate in the morning. In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden, I re-sowed a lot of flower seeds in boxed that had failed to come up also some in the open ground. Also planted out some rooted cuttings of plants.
We all went down to the Hall in the evening to hear a political address by Mr Mander the opposition parlimentary candidate.
Friday 23rd There was one shower in the morning and one in the afternoon, otherwise it was a fine day.
In the morning Willie and I commenced to dig in the farm orchard, we started at the far end. In the pm I went down to the beach to get sand, afterwards I was working in the flower garden.
Saturday 24th The showers were very frequent in the morning, but it was finer in the afternoon.
I was helping Willie dig in the farm orchard in the morning, he was digging there in the afternoon, I was weeding in the flower garden and then went down to the beach for a load of black soil.
Sunday 25th There were a few showers in the morning, but it was finer in the afternoon. In the afternoon I walked up to Mr Banks, had a look round their orchard, staid tea. Jane and Willie did not go far from the house.
Monday 26th Several showers during the day. In the morning I was helping Willie dig in the farm orchard.
Tuesday 27th It was fine in the morning, but in the afternoon it rained heavily also driving hail. In the morning I was digging a piece of ground near the front gate between the Peas and Tomatoes, I dug in manure & B & B in every trench, it is to prepare it for planting Onions.
Wednesday 28th It was a fine day. The wind is SSE and the ground is drying up. In the morning Willie was preparing some hills for pumpkins. I manured a trench for Stratagem Peas and planted them in the afternoon.
In the afternoon Jane rode over to Jas Darrochs with Mabel they were going to have a game of Tennis and stay for the dance that is to be in the Hall this evening. Willie and I went down to the Hall in the evening to hear a political address by Mr Meridith Soule the Indipendent Candidate for Marsden.
Thursday 29th A shower in the morning, tolerably fine in the afternoon. We planted out some Onion plants that Minnie gave us.
I went to the mail and attended Library in the evening.
Friday 30th Several showers in the pm. In the morning we finished planting the Onions. Willie planted 12 Hills of Pumpkins.
Saturday 31st It was a fine day. In the morning Charlie Wyatt came to make his declaration as D. R. O. Willie & I earthed up the Potatoes the top side of the house. In the afternoon Jane rode to the Claim to play tennis.
Mrs Carr came to hand over to me £4 . 4 . 0 collected by the Bible Class for repairing the church organ.
I planted out in the long bed, 16 Pansy plants, 2 Pelagoniums &
2 Lupins.