October 1928

Monday 1st   It was a very fine day.  I dug between the tomato sticks.  Pricked out some cabbage plants in a a box.  Sowed some pumpkin seeds in a tine.  Hector took the horse to Matakana to be shod.  Jim attended the annual cricket meeting at Leigh.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  Laddie Whitaker came in the morning to get some onion plants.  I gave him about 200.  Dolly and the children came in the afternoon, they came up to see my garden.  I opened out a trench and put manure in it and covered the earth over it ready to sow peas.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  I sowed 2 rows of Peerless Peas next the schallots.
Alma was here for lunch and she and Jane went down to Dolleys for the afternoon to meet Mr Perks to see his samples of drapery.

Thursday 4th   It was a very fine day.  I dug between the rows of peas I sowed yesterday, also dug a strip below the tomato sticks.  In the pm I started to take up onion plants for Gus Neeley.

Friday 5th   It was a very fine day.  I sent 1,000 onion plants to Gus Neeley by Pat Dunning as he goes to Leigh in the lorry.  I dug up a strip of ground next to the peas I sowed on Wednesday.

Saturday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I dug a strip between the peas and the eschallots.  Also a strip below the tomato sticks.

Sunday 7th   It was very fine during the day, but in the late afternoon it came over misty, but I think it was a sign of heat.
Minnie and Mrs Arthur Torkington came to spend the day, the latter is from Johannesburg, South Africa – her husband who died in S A was Joe’s eldest brother.

Monday 8th   It was a very fine day.  I dug below the tomato sticks also the piece next the calf paddock,  picked out some Burwood Prize Tomatoes in a box.

Tuesday 9th   It was a very fine day.  I was re digging and beating it down ready for planting peas and beans.  Mrs Evans and her twin children came to spend the day.  Jean came here  [?]   in the afternoon.

Wednesday 10th It was fine in the morning, but it was blowing hard.  I broke down some ground ready to plants crops.  In the afternoon I went down to Dolleys to borrow some newspapers.  It came on to rain later on.  Hector was working at Birdsalls and came home wet through.

Thursday 11th   It was a very fine day,  ‘tho windy.  I dug over the wide piece of ground between the tomato sticks and the onion beds, the ground broke down well after the rain yesterday

Friday 12th   It was a very fine day.  I sowed a long row of Canadian Wonder Beans below the tomato sticks.  Jim & Hector were sowing Basic Superphosphate on the home paddock.  Jane went to spend the day with the Wallaces at Big Omaha.  Jean who has been home since last Sunday returned to Mr Stewarts at Leigh.  Mrs Stewart was delivered of a son this morning.
By this evening’s mail I received a long letter from my son Jack, also one from Lily.

Saturday 13th   It was fine in the morning.  I got up early and took 300 onion plants for Mr Sims and Pat took them to the shop to meet Mr Syms there.  It came on to rain afterwards, but cleared up in the afternoon so I went up to the garden and did some weeding.

Sunday 14th   It was a showery day.  I walked up to Birdsalls and spent a very pleasant day there, the road up to their place was very muddy.  All the sons were at home.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day, but windy, slight showers in the evening.  I planted 7 Cabbage plants, worked the ground round the tomato sticks ready for planting.
Mr Chatham  the Labour Candidate for the Marsden Electorate had planned a meeting in the hall in the afternoon , but as there was no attendance there was no meeting, he went on to Leigh where he has a meeting this evening.

Tuesday 16th   It was a very fine day, sunny and no wind, so Jim & Hector were sowing basic super.  I planted out 14 Cabbage plants.
Also sowed a short row of Canadian Wonder Beans

Wednesday 17th   It was a fine day, but more wind than yesterday. Hector was working at Birdsalls.  I dug over a strip next the calf paddock, also a strip below the tomato sticks ready for sowing a double row of Homestead Beans.

Thursday 18th   It was a regular wet day so none of us were able to do anything outside, so I wrote a letter to my son Willie.

Friday 19th   It was a very fine day.  Jane and I went to spend the day at Ti Point,  Ernie came in a boat to the cemetery point and took us to their beach,  Mrs Arthur Torkington who is staying with Joe & Minnie showed us a lot of photos of her home in Johannesberg and Minnie showed us her vegetable garden.  Joe took us in his boat across the creek and landed us on the pipi bank and we walked home.  Hector was working at Birdsalls.

Saturday 20th   It was a fine day.  I sowed a double row of Homestead Beans and dug up a strip this side.
The men were playing bowls and practising cricket in the afternoon.

Sunday 21st   It was fine in the morning, Revd Yule held service in the morning , all went but me.   In the afternoon I was going to Harry Ashtons, but it was very windy, so I did not.  I afterwards heard they were out.  It came on to rain and it was a very wet night.

Monday 22nd   Labour Day & a general holiday.  The ground was so wet with the rain we had last night that I would not be able to do anything in the garden so I thought I would take a holiday.
Pat,  Dolly and the children were going up to Greenwoods in the lorry, so I went with them.  I first went to Eddie Wyatts, but he was down at the sawmill, but Ivy showed me her garden.  I then went to Jims, but found him also at the sawmill,  I then went to Charlie Wyatts who have built a new house for themselves near Jim, also found Charlie at the sawmill.  I then went to Archie Dunnings where I had dinner, afterwards I went down to see the Wyatts, then to Mr Gozars at the beach,  Mrs G. gave me pm tea.  I ended up with a visit to Mrs Gravatts where we had a long talk.  Pat called for me there at something after 6 pm having spent a very pleasant day .  In my absence Hector had gone to Ti Point and Jane to Wallaces.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  Hector was working at Birdsalls.  I stuck the two rows of Stratagem Peas that were sown on 20th Sept.  Also planted out 7 Burwood Prize and 6 Fill Basket Tomatoes

Wednesday 24th   The weather in the morning was threatening,
I went up into the garden, did some weeding and shifted the pea sticks.  It came on to rain and I was not able to do any thing outside.
I sent a £1 note in a letter to Stone Boot Store for a pair of boots.
Hector was working at Birdsalls, and came home wet through.
By the evenings post I received a letter from my niece Beatrice M Worthington of Leicester, she is the daughter of my sister Lizzie (Mrs Alfred Hudson), she was about 2 years old when I left England.  I have not heard anything of my relations in Leicester for many years.

Thursday 25th   It was a very showery day, I was not able to do anything in the garden so I spent the time writing a long letter to my niece Mrs Worthington in reply to the letter I received from her yesterday.

Friday 26th   It was a very showery day.  I was not able to do anything outside.

Saturday 27th   It was a very fine day.  There was a friendly cricket match in the Domain,  Kaipara Flats  V  Omaha.  The latter batted first, and made 172 runs.  Kaipara Flats made 156.  The ladies provided a good lunch and tea.  Revd Hart & Mrs H called at the ground and had tea with us and they went home with Mr Neeley who was playing bowls, to stay the night, as Mr Hart is going to have service at Leigh tomorrow morning @ 9.30.

Sunday 28th   It was a fine day.  Revd Hart held service in the hall.  Mr & Mrs Hart were here for dinner.  The Collection at the service was 14/- .  Jean was home for dinner, but returned to the Stewarts at Leigh in the afternoon.

Monday 29th   It rained heavily last night so that the ground was very wet.  I took the tins off the tomatoes and tied them up to sticks.
Jane rode to Leigh to call on Mrs Stewart.

Tuesday 30th   It was a very fine day.  I sowed 2 hills of Apple Cucumbers.  Also planted out 8 Pumpkin Plants in manured holes.  Started to dig the ground lately in onion plants.

Wednesday 31st    Only a few light showers, otherwise a fine day.
I finished digging the onion patch.