May 1914

Friday 1st   It was a fine day.  I was helping Willie picking Vicar pears and carrying them up into a shed.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Saturday 2nd   It was a very wet day and a strong wind blowing.
Willie was picking Vicar pears with an oilskin on.  I got a stock of firewood between the showers.

Sunday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point to spend the day with Harold & Flo’.  I walked over to the Claim, had dinner at Jims and then went to Bowden Birdsalls, he was just on the point of starting for Pakiri so I did not stay long.  I next called at Whitakers to enquire after Laurence who broke his leg 7 weeks ago and is still confined to his bed.  Returned to Jims and staid the night there.

Monday 4th   It was a very fine day.  Jim came over here to help put iron on the roof of his mothers house.  I came home later in the morning.  Willie & Grace were picking fruit.  Willie finished picking Vicar pears.  I was working in the flower garden.  Willie went to a householders meeting at the School in the evening to elect a School Committee.

Tuesday 5th   It was a very fine day.  I was digging in the front garden.
In the evening I went down to Archie Dunnings in the evening, Willie and Charlie Dunning were there, we played at Bridge & Five Hundred.  I sowed a row of Sweep Peas.

Wednesday 6th  It was a very fine day.   In the morning Willie went down to the Blacksmiths, I was working in the flower garden.

Thursday 7th   It was fine in the morning, but rained heavily in the afternoon.  Willie was papering the front bedroom,  in the afternoon to took [sic]  fruit down to the wharf and hauled up flour & groceries.
I was digging out periwinckle the lower side of the wire netting fence , went down for the mail in the afternoon.

Friday 8th   It was a fine day.  Willie finished papering the front bedroom and he commenced to paper the middle room.  I was digging out blackberry, periwinckle below the flower garden and behind the summer house.   In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Saturday 9th   It was fine in the morning, but showery in the afternoon.  In the morning Willie cleaned out the fowl house, I carried away 14 Kerosine tins of manure and put it round the young trees in the pigs paddock and in the orchard.

Sunday 10th   It was a very showery day.  Revd Blundell held service in the Hall in the morning, but none of us moved out all day.  We had a fire in the dining room and made ourselves very comfortable.

Monday 11th   It was a bit showery in the morning, but fine in the afternoon & evening.  I got a lot of firewood.
In the evening the girls of Leigh gave a dance in the Hall as a welcome home to the territorials that have just returned from camp. There was a nice gathering, I went and enjoyed a very pleasant evening playing bridge, they gave us an excellent supper.

Tuesday 12th   It was a fine day.  Willie was digging round the Lemon trees in the farm orchard.  I dug out the Allium Neopolitanum in the long bed as it bids fair to be a nuisance.

Wednesday 13th   It was a beautiful day.  Grace walked to Ti Point in the morning, returning in the evening.  Willie went over to the Claim, called at Jims, shot a rabbit there which he brought home.
Joe Torkington called here & brought us a piece of pork.  I was digging out convolvulus and periwinckle in the pigs paddock.  Also digging in the front garden.

Thursday 14th   It was a very fine day.  Willie went over to the gum flat beach to dig gum, returning late in the evening.  I was working in the flower garden.  In the evening I went down to the village to look after the Library instead of tomorrow night, as the presentation to Mr Whitaker is tomorrow night in the Claim Hall.
I called in at the Post Office to sign the Lease of the School Reserve for another 21 years.

Friday 15th   It was dull all day, and it came on to rain late in the afternoon.  In the morning Willie was digging round the young Lemon trees in the farm orchard.
I was working in the flower garden, I planted a Double white bell Fuchsia and a Scarlet & white Penstemon.
On account of the weather none of us went to the Claim in the evening to the Social tendered to Mr & Mrs Whitaker.

Saturday 16th   Several slight showers during the day.  Willie went to the flat to dig gum.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail.  In the afternoon I went to Mrs Dunning Senr to witness hers & Mrs Whitaker’s signature.

Sunday 17th   It was fine in the morning.  Harold, Flo and the children & Mrs Simpson came to spend the day.  Revd Sims held service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended there was a fair congregation, after I returned home and we were having tea it came on to rain and it poured and kept on most of the evening.  Our visitors had to stay all night.

Monday 18th   It did not rain in the morning, but it was very dull and wintry looking.  Harold, Flo & the children left for home early in the morning.  Mrs Simpson stayed here.
My back was bad so could not do much, sawed up some firewood.
Willie was packing Pears.
A cold southerly wind was blowing.

Tuesday 19th   It was a fine day.  Wind southerly.  Willie hauled a load of Pears down to the wharf in the morning & brought up a load of cases.  In the afternoon he walked to Ti Point and brought home a pigs head, Harold having killed his pig yesterday.
My back being still bad I was not able to do anything out of doors.

Wednesday 20th   It was a very fine day.  The roads have dried up nicely on account of the S & SW winds which have been blowing lately.  Willie carried his box of butter and eggs down to the wharf in the morning and then went to the gum flat.
I was not able to do much on account of my back.
In the evening Hrs Harper gave a Social in the Hall in the evening to celebrate the marriage of her eldest son Ted,  a general invitation was given and there was a large gathering and a very pleasant evening was spent, Willie, Grace, Mrs Simpson  & I went, there were several songs between the dances, and some were playing bridge.  A very excellent supper was set out on tables on the stage about midnight.  I, on behalf of the company thanked Mrs Harper for her hospitality, wishing the young couple happiness & prosperity.  We did not get home until 2.30 am Thursday morning.

Thursday 21st   It was a showery day, wind blowing strong from SW.
I only got firewood.  Willie took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up a load of cases.

Friday 22nd   It was a fine day, but cold.  Willie went to Big Omaha flat.  In the morning I went down to the P.O to post some letters.  During the day I was getting firewood & weeding.   In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library.

Saturday 23rd   It was a fine day, but cold.  Willie went to Big Omaha flat.  I got firewood & weeded in flower garden.

Sunday 24th   It was fine like a summers day.  Mr & Mrs Glass came to spend the day here.  Mr Seton (Anglican student) held service in the evening, there was a large attendance & he gave us an excellent sermon.  Collection 12/-

Monday 25th   It rained very heavily in the morning, but finer in the afternoon.  I went down for the mail in the afternoon.

Tuesday 26th   It was a very fine day.  Willie went to Big Omaha flat,
I got a lot of firewood.

Wednesday 27th   It was a very fine day.  Willie staid at home & packed pears and hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon.
I walked over to the Claim in the morning, had lunch with Jane, returned by way of the village and got the mail.

Thursday 28th   It was a fine day.  Willie went to the flat.  Grace & Mrs Simpson walked to Ti Point to spend the day with Flo’.    I was working in the flower garden.  I planted out a quantity of Virginian Stocks that had come up self sown.

Friday 29th   It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing strong from NE.  Willie went to the flat.
I was working in the flower garden all day,  I planted a Duronicow and a Fuchsia, also about a Doz Carnation plants and planted in two shallow boxes about 60 Pansy plants.  In the evening I went for the mail and attended the Library.
The Steamer arrived from Auckland this evening after a rough passage, she did not proceed on the Mangawai on account of the darkness & wind.

Saturday 30th   It rained heavily last night and early this morning, but it cleared up and turned out a fine day, although the ground is very wet.
Helped Willie pack 18 Cases Vicar Pears and Willie hauled them down to the wharf & brought up 2 SKs Sharps.
Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson went down to the beach in the afternoon to try & get some fish.  I got firewood and went down to the Library to change books.

Sunday 31st   It was a fine day.  Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson went to spend the day at Mr Glass’ .
In the morning I walked over to the Claim  and had dinner at Jims, in the afternoon Jim lent me his horse and I rode to Matakana to be present at the dedication of the new Anglican Church by Bishop Averell.  A good many went from over this way and we had a very interesting service.  The Bishop preached a splendid sermon .
I returned to Jims and staid the night.