May 1921

Sunday 1st   It was a very fine day.   Revd  Poole held service in the Hall in the morning, all in this house attended.  Mr & Mrs Rennie & children dined here.  In the afternoon I went up to W. Dunnings and had tea there.

Monday 2nd   It was fine during the day, but there was a steady rain in the late afternoon which will do a great deal of good, I  [was] working in the garden all day, I sowed seeds in boxes of Anemone, Renunculus,  Delphinium and Unknown, also Cauliflower.  Commenced to dig another strip of ground next the piece I dug last week burying grass & horse manure in the trenches.

Tuesday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  The rain we had last night has greatly benefitted my garden.  In the morning I continued digging what I commenced yesterday.  In the pm I catalogued new Library books at Mr A. Greenwoods.  The boys were digging drains.

Wednesday 4th   It was a very fine day.  I was working up in the garden all day.  I finished digging that strip,  I dug out the Agapantha in the flower garden.  Jim drilled in grass seed for Neil Neeley on the hill.

Thursday 5th   It was a fine day.  Jim went drilling at Evans’ at the Claim.  I went down to the beach and carried 2 bags of sand across to the wharf and Eddie carted them up to the sulky shed.  I sent Grace some violet roots.  In the afternoon I commenced to dig the last strip of ground next the Cabbages.  I sowed a row of White Stone Turnips, what I sowed on the 7th of April did not come up.
To day is the 58th Anniversary of the “Queen of Beauty”  (the ship I came from England in)  leaving Gravesend on the Thames.

Friday 6th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was drilling at Evans.  I sieved the sand I got yesterday, continued digging the strip.  Went for the mail in the evening and attended the Library.

Saturday 7th   It was a very fine day.  I walked over to the Claim in the morning, had lunch at Jim’s and then in the pm all of us went to the Domain to witness a Hockey match between Omaha & Streamlands.  Omaha won by making 6 goals to their 1, returned to Jims and remained the night.

Sunday 8th   It was fine in the morning and Jim was intending driving us over to Matakana to attend Revd Hawkesworth service , but it came on to rain as we were having dinner and it kept on all afternoon, so we were unable to go.

Monday 9th   Left Jims place in the morning and walked home, getting there just before dinner.  Went up to the garden in the pm, did some digging, cut some grass and shelled & put away some Homestead beans.

Tuesday 10th    It rained last night and there were a few light showers today, but otherwise it was a fine day.  I went down for the mail in the morning and worked in the garden in the afternoon,  I finished digging that strip.   Mrs  Gus Neeley & children were here for dinner & Mr Neeley,  Mr & Mrs Warin & Willena were here for tea.

Wednesday 11th   It was a fine day.  David Darroch’s scow was launched at 9 am.  Ivy & Jessie drove over to be present and spent the day there.  Eddie & Jim were draining.   I worked in the garden all day.  I replanted a Canna, I cut down & removed the Yucca, dug the border & cut grass on the paths.

Thursday 12th   It rained last night, but it was fine to day, strong wind from S.  I went down to the village after breakfast to post some letters, afterwards shelled some butter beans for seed, in the afternoon I planed some marking labels.

Friday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Wind S.   I was working in the garden all day.  Planted 2 Cabbage plants (Manchester Defiance).
3 seedling Penstemons, cut grass on the path, weeded & straightened up.  The boys were draining.  Went down for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 14th   It was a very fine day, but windy.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post a letter, to cash some postal notes and to put flowers in the Church, met Mr Truscott the new Ti Point Teacher and showed him the Library.  In the afternoon I went up to the garden,  picked in and shelled some Butter beans.
There was a Hockey match at the Claim between Omaha & Dome Valley Clubs.  Omaha won 2 goals to 1.  All the young people went over.

Sunday 15th   It was a very fine day.  Wind cold from S.  Heard that the “Kawau” had broken down at Mangawai and that was the reason she had not called in yesterday afternoon, she was seen being towed up to Auckland this afternoon.
Revd Hawksworth held service in the afternoon , there were 37 present .  Collection 22/6.

Monday 16th   It was a very fine day.  Wind still blowing strong from S.   I was working in the garden all day.  Commenced to dig another strip where the butter beans grew.  Went down for the mail in the evening.  Received Oleac for ecxema on my legs.

Tuesday 17th   It was a very fine day.  I continued digging the strip I started yesterday.  Jim was ploughing the lower orchard and afterwards the piece that was in Oats.

Wednesday 18th   It was a very fine day.  I finished digging the strip between the Cauliflowers & Sweet Peas.  Took up the Pansies, manured the border and replanted them.  Jim was ploughing the top orchard,  Eddie was packing fruit.  The steamer was not going to leave Auckland until tonight.

Thursday 19th   It was a fine day.  The “Kawau” was to have left last night, but she broke down again, so the “Kotiti” came instead and arrived this morning about 9 oclock.  I went down and carried some sand over to the wharf and Eddie carted it up for me.  I tidied up the round bed, I took up the Lobedia and replaced it,  cut grass on the path.

Friday 20th   It was a fine day.  There was a parade of the Territorials at Matakana,  Eddie went.  I was working up at the garden, dug between the cabbages, also between the Sweet Peas & the path,  cut grass on the paths.  Went down for the mail in the evening and attended the Library.

Saturday 21st   It was a very fine day.  I went up to the garden in the morning.  In the afternoon I called at Gravatts to beg some Sweet Pea seed, then called at Alec Haskells, but he was not at home.  On going to Arthur Greenwoods I found him there,  Mrs G  gave us afternoon tea, I brought away some new books for the Library which Mrs G had brought up from Auckland with her.
There was a Hockey match at the Claim between Omaha & Warkworth clubs,  Leigh won 3 goals to 1.

Sunday 22nd   It rained early in the morning, but it cleared up and was fine, the sun came out in the afternoon , I conducted service at 2.30,  16 present,  Collection 6/4.
After service I went up to Mr Griggs for tea and spent a very pleasant evening.  Eddie was home for his vacation.

Monday 23rd   It rained a little early in the morning, but it cleared up so I went up to the garden, but the ground was too wet to do much on it, so I manured some roses with horse manure and planed some labels, I did not go up to the garden in the afternoon, but did a few odd jobs.  Charlie & the boys were making a stand for the saw bench & fixing up the oil engine.

Tuesday 24th   Empire Day.  It rained off & on nearly all day.
I remained in the house, but went down for the mail in the morning, received the remainder of the seeds from Pilkington.  Charlie & the boys fixed up the engine and tried to make it go.  Willie Dunning came in the evening & we played four handed cribbage.

Wednesday 25th   Still misty rain,  I remained in the house and wrote letters to Jack and Mr Runciman & posted them in the pm, did not remain for the mail, the steamer did not arrive until 7 pm.

Thursday 26th   Blowing strong from N with misty showers, I did not go out except to cut some firewood, remained in my room and commenced to make a new Catalogue for the Library.

Friday 27th   It did not rain, but everything was very wet outside.
I staid inside and was working on the Catalogue.  Oscar Zander came in a motor car to fix up the oil engine, he brought two young men named Vial who are experts, they made the engine go, they staid for dinner.  I went for the mail in the evening and attended the Library.

Saturday 28th   It was fine in the morning, several showers in the afternoon.  I went down to the store in the morning, was introduced to Mr Stewart who with his wife came from Auckland last night, he is the new Teacher for Ti Point School, they are going to occupy the house late owned by Mrs Hadwick.  I went up to the garden.  Charlie W. had given me some Califlower plants, but the ground was too wet to put them in.  There was a hockey match at Matakana in the afternoon between the local team and Omaha, Matakana making 3 goals & Omaha 2.  Mr Rennie & Mr Hunt were here for tea.

Sunday 29th   Revd Poole (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the morning, there was a fair congregation.  It came on to rain as we came out of church and there were a few showers in the pm.  I came home for dinner, the others were out.

Monday 30th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I cut tea tree poles the other side of the hill and in the pm I sawed them into length for kerbing and fixed some.  Jim drilled grass seed in the pm for Willie Dunning.  Charlie & Eddie got the engine to go and they sawed up some blocks.

Tuesday 31st   A very fine day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, the remainder of the day I was making & fixing kerbing.  Jim finished drilling grass for Willie Dunning, about 12 acres.  Charlie & Eddie were fixing the enging  [ engine ?]  & sawing firewood, they also cut some fruit case battens.