January 1923

Monday 1st   It rained in the morning and there were some slight showers in the afternoon.  Jane intended to have lunch & tea in the Domain, but on account of the weather we had the meals in the house,  after lunch all of us went to the Domain to witness the sports.   On account there were not nearly so many people present as on former years, Eddie & Ivy and the children , Jim & Jessie were over, but only Jim staid for the dance in the evening.  I walked home in the evening with Mr & Mrs Stewart who had tea at Janes.

Tuesday 2nd   There were a few slight showers.  Charlie dug up all the Potaoes, and he planted several rows of Beans.  In the afternoon and evening I was forking out convolvulus in the Lemon garden.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  There were sports on the Pakiri beach, Jim went.  I was working in the garden in the morning and cutting bean sticks below the School in the afternoon.

Thursday 4th   It rained just after breakfast so I wrote letters to my sons Jack & Henry which I posted in the afternoon.  After it left off raining I went up to the garden & planted a Dahlia.  In the afternoon I was forking out convolvulus in the Lemon garden until it was time to go down to the Steamer which arrived soon after 4 pm.  Mr W. Birss and 5 boys came by her to camp at Ti Point.

Friday 5th   It was a very fine day.  Jim carted 12 cases Lemons  & a large Crate of Fowls down to the steamer in the morning.  I went up to the garden in the morning and planted a Dahlia.  In the afternoon I was working in the Lemon garden.  Went down for the mail in the evening, but Jessie had got it.  There was a Tennis Dance in the Hall in the evening, the Maori band were to supply the music , Jim and Ivy went & Eddie.

Saturday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early in the morning and went up to the garden to get Canna plants to send to Bob Williams of Matakana.  There was a Cricket match at Matakana between Omaha & Whangaripo and as Eddie & Jim were driving I sent the Cannas by them.
After breakfast I went down to the beach with a message from Eddie to Charlie, he gave me some fish to bring home, afterwards I went up to the garden & did some watering.  There was only Ivy & I to lunch.  In the pm I was working in the Lemon garden.  Charlie, Mr Beazley & Albert milked the cows.  After tea I went up to the garden to get some flowers and I took them down to the Church.

Sunday 7th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Poole held service in the hall, there was a large attendance, I attended.  Mr W. Birss held service in the Church at 8 pm, he was attended by the 5 boys, there were 45 present Collection 13/6 .

Monday 8th   It was a very fine day.  The boys were getting Trairie logs that came off Duncan Matheson ‘s land round to the sawmill.
I took my lunch up to the garden and staid there working all day.
I put stakes to support the Onions for seed. Also picked in the Sutton’s Peerless Peas for seed.

Tuesday 9th   It was a very fine day.  The boys were working at the sawmill all day.  I went down for the mail after breakfast and then went up to the garden, did some watering.  Picked in the Stratagem Pea seed.

Wednesday 10th   There was slight rain in the morning, so I started to shell the Stratagem Peas.  It was fine in the afternoon.  I went down to meet the steamer and I got the mail.  Jim hauled 4 bags of manure for me up to the garden.  The boys were working at the mill. Albert was picking and packing Burbanks.

Thursday 11th   It was a very fine day.  I was up at the garden morning and afternoon, cut grass on the path, took the pea sticks off the Stratagem Peas.  The Firm  (J. C. Wyatt & Sons)  sent away by steamer a lot of Burbank plums & Lemons.  Jim commenced cutting the Oats in the Barley Paddock.  Mrs Hewett left by the Steamer bound for London.

Friday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Jim finished cutting the Oats in the barley paddock.  Albert was picking & packing plums.
I took up the sticks of one row of peas and I tied the sticks up in bundles.  Went for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 13th   It was a very fine day, but not so hot as it was rather cloudy.
There was a Cricket match at Warkworth between Warkworth  v  Omaha,  Eddie & Jim drove,  W. Dunning made      runs & Jim W made,
Charlie & Mr Beasley came up, they stooked the Oats in the barley paddock and they milked the cows in the evening.  Mr B.  came up to see my garden in the afternoon.  I took the sticks out of last row of peas, tied them in bundles and stacked them behind  the old pig sty.
I was working in the Lemon garden in the afternoon.

Sunday 14th   It was a very fine day.  Before breakfast I took flowers down to the Church – I went to spend the day with Mr & Mrs Stewart at their new residence.  Jim, Jane & the children were also there, we spent a very pleasant day.
Mr Birss conducted service in the Church at 8 pm, there were about 23 present.  Collection 8/2 .

Monday 15th   It was a fine day.  Jim was reaping Oats at W. Greenwoods.  Albert was working with Eddie & Charlie at the sawmill.  After breakfast I went down to the P.O and Store, afterwards was working up at the garden.  In the afternoon I sharpened the bean sticks that I cut the other day, tied them up into bundles and carried them out into the barley paddock ready to be carted to the Lemon garden.

Tuesday 16th   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, took the letters to Eddie at the sawmill and then went up to the garden.  As Ivy was going out, I took my lunch.  In the afternoon I was forking out convolvulus in the Lemon garden.  Jim was reaping at Dan Kempts and for Sandy Matheson.

Wednesday 17th   It kept fine during the day, but in the evening it thundered, very black clouds and every appearance of rain.  Jim took the reaper to Big Omaha to reap for Jack Walden and Jack Smith.  I was helping Albert pick Burbank plums at the old orchard.
I went down to meet the steamer, but as she was so late I went up to Charlie Wyatts for tea, the steamer did not arrive until 6 oclock.  She brought the timber to enlarge Jim Dunnings house.  I got the mail.

Thursday 18th   It rained a little early this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the wharf to see the steamer off, several passengers went away by her.  Mr Birss and the 5 boys went away by her.  I took Mr B a small case of Lemons and some plums for the boys.  I drew £10 out of the bank.  It rained very heavy at Big Omaha last night so that the Oats were too wet to cut to day so Jim came round in the steamer  and was working at the sawmill to day.

Friday 19th   It was a very hot day.  I was up at the garden morning and afternoon, it was so hot in the afternoon that I went into the summer house and shelled seed Peas.  In the evening I took flowers down to the Church ready for Sunday as I am going to the Claim to witness a cricket match.

Saturday 20th   A miserable day, raining in the morning, and then blowing from E,  raining again in the evening.
There was to have been a cricket match at the Claim between Omaha & Matakana and our boys went over, but Matakana did not turn up,  I sent some beans and a cabbage to Jane.  I staid at home and did some mending .  Went to Arthur Greenwoods in the afternoon to get him to audit the Church accounts.  I did not go to the Claim on account of the weather.

Sunday 21st   Misty and a few showers.  Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Church in the morning, there were 27 present, 8 remained for communion.  Collection 13/5 .  The Vicar came here for dinner, having service at Pakiri this pm.

Monday 22nd   It rained in the morning, so I did not go out anywhere.  In the pm I walked over to Jim Dunnings, to shelter from a shower I called in at Gravatts.  Jane had 2 of Willie Dunnings girls and Eyleen Torkington staying with her.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  Jim D  drove me home in the morning.   Until dinner time I was working in the Lemon garden .  In the afternoon I was working up at the old garden .  Mr & Mrs Kirk, Mrs and Marjoire Snaith came to spend the evening,  four of them played 500,  Mrs Kirk and [ I ] played cribbage, we did not break up until midnight.

Wednesday 24th   It was a very hot day.  As we were late up last night the boys were not up very early, I had my breakfast alone and then went to the Lemon garden to work,  afterwards I went down to the village to get Gus Neeley to take a ladder round to Jim Dunning in the cream cart, afterwards I went up to the garden to work.  In the pm I was working in the Lemon garden, later went down to meet the steamer,  got the mail.  Jim carted the bean sticks that I cut and in the evening I commenced to stick the Whit Dutch beans.

Thursday 25th   Before breakfast I finished sticking the White Dutch Beans.  They commed  [sic: commenced]  to take in the Oats from the barley paddock, I was helping load the sleigh with sheaves, but it came on to rain so we had to knock off.  It rained and blew the remainder of the day .  On account of the rough weather the steamer was not able to come out of Big Omaha so the Kirks were not able to get away, they had all their luggage carted down to the wharf and had to have it carted up to my old house again.

Friday 26th   It was a very fine day.  The steamer came out of Big Omaha early this morning, called in here for cargo & passengers and then left for Auckland.
The boys were working at the mill, Ivy was out, so I took my lunch up to the garden and staid there all day,  I cut grass on the path and picked in the Sweet Pea seed.  Went down for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 27th   It was a very fine day.  The boys were working down at the sawmill, and as Ivy was going out I took my lunch up to the garden.  I commenced to dig the piece of ground that was in peas.  Willie Dunning carted Mr Kirk’s luggage down to the wharf in the morning.  In the afternoon I picked some flowers and put  [them]  in the Church, also some Homestead beans which I took to Mrs Gravatt.
I went down to the wharf to see the Kirks off, but when the “Gael” came in, she could not get into Mangawai on account of the breakers on the bar, she had been sheltering at Whangarei.   On the Captain ringing up the Northern Co in Auckland he was instructed to wait here until he could work Mangawai, Mr Kirk and the other passengers who had put their luggage aboard had to take it off again. The “Gael” went round to lie at Ti Point.  There were a lot of passengers who wanted to go away and they were much disappointed,  Mrs Snaith & Margery came up here to stay the night.

Sunday 28th   It was a very hot day.  I held service in the Church in the afternoon, on account of Mrs Gravatt’s indisposition Mrs Gozar played for the hymns, there were only 12 present   Coln 5/5 .

Monday 29th   Auckland Anniversary.   It was a very fine day.  Jim was hauling pine logs down to the mill, the others were sawing.  I was up at the garden all day.  I continued digging the piece that was in peas.  The “Gael” called in  from  [Ti Point]  on her way to Auckland, Mrs Snaith & daughter went away and several others who were disappointed on Saturday.  The Kirks are remaining until Thursday.

Tuesday 30th    It was a very hot day.  Before breakfast I took a letter down to the P.O that I had written to Willie, afterwards I worked in the Lemon  garden.
Wyatts took in and stacked the Oats that were grown in the barley paddock, Mr A. Dunning and Albert were helping, I was helping putting the sheaves into heaps  and loading the sleigh.  In the afternoon I burned the heaps of weeds in the Lemon garden.  I went down for the mail in the evening, but it had not arrived.  We did not get all the Oats stacked and covered in until nearly 9 pm.

Wednesday 31st   It was fine in the morning.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, Bert Eyton brought it from Matakana.
Jim took some of the older calves over to Pakiri.  Mr Kirk rode with him to help,  Ivy drove Mrs Kirk and the boys over & Eddie rode, they had a sort of picnic there, while there the boys sprayed the cattle for tick.  Albert was here  picking Lemons there were only he & I for dinner.   It came on a misty rain in the late afternoon which continued all evening.