Saturday 1st It was a showery day. The boys were felling bush in the E. R. I was mending up the fence next Frearsons. Willie returned in the evening and Jane came with him. There was a meeting of the Farmers Association in the evening.
Sunday 2nd There were a few showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there was a small congregation.
Monday 3rd It was a fine day and very hot in the pm, there were a few slight showers in the middle of the day. The boys were felling bush in the E. R. The girls & I were digging the far side of the orchard.
Tuesday 4th It was a fine day. The boys were felling bush in the E. R. I was digging the far side of the orchard, the girls were helping me.
Wednesday 5th It was a fine day. The girls returned to school after the Michaelmas Holidays. The boys were felling bush in the E. R. and they finished in the evening. I was digging far side of orchard. Miss Pratt came in the evening and staid all night.
Thursday 6th Miss Pratt went home this morning. Henry went up to the mail road to look for Spot, but he came home without her. John & I were digging in the orchard.
Friday 7th It was a fine day. We got the Sheep up early in the morning, we cleaned all the sheep and cut & tailed 3 Lambs, 2 Wethers & 1 Ewe. With the one I got from Frearsons we have cut and tailed as follows.
Wethers 25
Ewes 19
Total 44
We picked out 8 Wethers and put them in the Barley Paddock to fatten. We killed a Wether in the evening, we sheared it first and the fleece weighed 7 lb 6 oz. We were digging in the orchard during the day.
Saturday 8th It was a fine day. We were digging in the orchard during the morning and I was in the afternoon. The boys went up the hill to play at cricket in the afternoon. Willie returned from Tomarata in the evening.
Sunday 10th (should be 9th) It was a wet day, but it cleared up a little in the pm. On account of the weather there was no service in the afternoon.
Monday 11th (should be 10th) It was too wet to dig so the boys & I went to the E. R. to cut firewood. I gave Mr Savage verbal notice to cut the overhanging trees and that when he burned off I should want him to put up his half share of a 7 wire legal fence between the E. R. and his land. John mended up the bush fence next Haskells and the bullocks got in there.
Tuesday 11th It was a fine day, the wind is at the south. The boys were digging in the orchard. I was regrafting the Chaumoutel Pear Trees in the farm orchard. I regrafted 1 with Beurree Capoumat and the others with Duchessi D’Anj???. The Steamer came in early, I went down to the Wharf in the evening. There was a dance in the Hall. It came on to rain and rained all night and the children got wet coming home. As it came on the blow the Steamer went out.
Wednesday 12th The ground was too wet to dig so the boys continued cutting firewood on the E. R. I was not very well and remained at home. I made some grafting wax, also 2 Fruit Cases and a Hen Coop.
Thursday 13th We were all cutting firewood in the E. R. It was a fine day and the ground has dried up very much.
Friday 14th It was a fine day. We dug up the piece of ground the top side of the house in the morning. In the afternoon the boys dug the far side of the orchard. I loosened the ground where the peas did not come up, also loosened between the Potatoes.
Saturday 15th The wind was blowing very strong from the N and threatening for rain. The boys finished digging the piece of ground that they were at the far side of the orchard and then they slashed down the sorrel in the pigs paddock. I finished loosening up between the Potatoes. I sowed 1 Row of D McLean Peas, also some Tomato. Willie returned in the pm.
Sunday 16th It came on the rain about 10 oclock in the morning and rained all day. It cleared up in the evening and the wind shifted round to the S. On account of the wet weather there was no service in the pm.
Monday 17th It was a fine day and the ground has dried up very much after all the rain yesterday. Willie is stopping at home this week to help us dig the orchard, he and the boys started to dig in the farm orchard, they commenced to dig at the thorn hedge and they nearly dug up to the other end.
In the morning I rode over to Mr Boyds to get some Apple cuttings for grafts, after I returned I commenced grafting an Apple tree in the farm orchard with Maggs Seedling that I got from Mr Boyd, it was a blight proof variety. I put on 26 grafts on to it.
Tuesday 18th It was a fine day . We were digging in this orchard commencing at the top Jaigonell Pear trees working this way. I regrafted the 2 French Crab Apple trees that did not take last year with other sorts with Lord Wolseley that I got from Mr Boyd.
Wednesday 19th It rained heavily all day with a strong wind from the E. We were unable to do any work outside. I made a milking stool and 2 Fruit Cases.
Thursday 20th The weather has cleared up and the wind shifted round to the SW. It was a very fine day. There was a great fresh in the creek. Some more land slip came down with the heavy rain yesterday carrying part of the fence between T & J Wyatt and us. We were all cutting firewood in the E.R.
Friday 21st It was a fine day. We were all digging in the farm orchard. I carried manure from under the ti tree on the hill and put it round the Orleans Plum Trees we also gave them a good dressing of Potatoe Manure. We finished digging this orchard in the evening.
It has been dug this year in two days.
I went to the Library in the evening.
Saturday 22nd It was a fine day. The Revd W. H. Johnston M. A. Incumbent of S. Bainabas Mt Eden called here and stayed for dinner, he then proceeded to Pakiri.
We were all digging in this orchard, the boys and Willie were digging from the fence where the Beurie Diel & Beurie Capoumout downwards. I was digging from the drain near the larger Vicar of Waievfield (?) towards the Golden Russetts. Willie and Henry went to Matakana in the evening.
Sunday 23rd It was fine in the morning, about 10.30 it set in thick all round and there was a very heavy shower of rain, I had been down to the Hall to straighten it up and I got caught in it. It cleared up after that and the sun came out bright, but in the evening it came on to rain and rained all night. Revd W. H. Johnston M. A. held service in the Hall in the pm, there were about 50 present and the offeratory was 15/½. After service he went with Mr Ashton to Dacre’s Claim to hold service in the evening, but I am afraid the weather would prevent him doing so. Tom & George Pratt called here in the afternoon and staid for tea, George staid all night, but Tom went home.
Monday 24th It was a fine day and the sun was very hot, but there was no wind and the ground has dried up very little. We were cutting firewood in the E.R.
Willie and George Pratt left early this morning, Willie to go to Tomarata.
Tuesday 25th It was a very showery day. The boys fixed some barbed wire on the bush fence between Haskells and us. We were also cutting firewood in the E.R. The Steamer came in early, I went down in the village. I heard that Willie Brown’s scow “Ida” was capsized outside the Kawau last Sunday night and that the “Rose Casey” had towed her on to a sandy beach on the Kawau, no lives were lost and not much damage was done to the vessel, but about £100 of goods and money were lost. The “Rose Casey” is going to call into Big Omaha tomorrow to see if she can pick up a trade there. Captains McGregor & Worsps are on board besides Captain Bayeley.
Wednesday 26th It was a fine day and the sun very hot in the afternoon, but no wind and the ground has not dried up much.
The boys took the bullocks down to the wharf and hauled up
1 Sack Potatoes and a Gunney containing 1 Bag Sugar and 2 Bags Oatmeal. We are cutting Firewood in E.R. Jane went to Miss Wann’s to stay all night.
Thursday 27th It was a fine day. Henry was slashing down sorrel in the pig’s paddock. John & I were putting in a gate post and panel going into the cow paddock. The boys were digging around the trees on the bank in the farm orchard.
Friday 28th It was a fine day. We were digging the far side of the orchard. I went up to the Library in the evening, there was a meeting of the Committee to choose books.
Saturday 29th A fine day. We continued digging near the Apricot trees in the morning. I sowed another row of Dr McLean Peas next to the others in the afternoon. Willie returned from Tomarata in the evening.
There was a meeting of the Farmers Association in the Hall in the evening, Mr I. G. Carrie of Matakana read a paper on grasses, he staid at our place all night.
Sunday 30th It was a beautiful day. Mr Carrie went home in the morning. I read service in the afternoon, there were 37 present.
George Wyatt was here for dinner and tea and Mr Pratt was over for the service and was here for tea. I went up to Mr Handby’s in the evening, but they were not at home so I called in at Charlies to have a chat.
Monday 31st A fine day. Willie left early in the morning . The boys were digging in the orchard. I got the loan of Charlies hand Cultivator and worked it between the Potatoes, also worked the ground the top side of the house.