August 1889

Thursday 1st   The wind still blowing strongly from the SE.  We were splitting up the Kaihakatea tree, we could not split a 5 ft paling log with wedges, so we had to get blasting powder.
We put the young Sow to the Boar .

Friday 2nd  It was a fine day, the wind has moderated.  We continued splitting palings.

Saturday 3rd  It was a fine day and very calm.  I gave the boys a holiday and they went gum digging.  I cleaned out the pigs in the morning and did odd jobs.

Sunday 4th   It was a fine day.  Read service in the afternoon there were about 20 present.  Charlie called in the evening .

Monday 5th  It was a fine day.  Charlie Wyatt came in the morning with one pair of bullocks and the plough,  and he ploughed the pigs paddock, all but a headland at the bottom.
Mrs Hardwick & Harry Ashton came in the afternoon, also Clara Fordham, they staid for tea.
Mr Mirehouse died very suddenly this morning.  Sydney Fordham went over to Warkworth to inform the constable.
Clara Fordham paid all that was owing to me for mutton.

Tuesday 6th Charlie brought up another pair of bullocks this morning, so that he has two pair up here now, he finished ploughing the pigs paddock early in the forenoon, he then went up on the hill and ploughed the piece of ground above the orchard on the farm.  It turns up very dry, we cut up with spades all the thistles and put them into the furrows and the plough covered them in.  We finished ploughing this piece early in the afternoon and then we commenced to plough on the top side of the stock yard.
An Inquest was held today on the late Mr Mirehouse, before Mr Angove , Coroner and a jury of 6, as there is a suspicion that he poisoned himself, the inquest was adjourned until tomorrow, so as to procure the assistance of a Doctor.
It was a very fine day.  The Steamer came in early.

Wednesday 7th  Charlie went to Auckland in the Steamer this morning, there were 7 passengers.
The adjourned inquest on the late Mr Mirehouse was held this afternoon at about 2 oclock.  Dr Carolan of Warkworth made a post mortem examination and could not find any trace of poison, but he certified that his left lung was very much deseased and the mucous membrane  of the stomach very red and irritated with excessive drinking.  He was of opinion that death resulted from natural causes.  The jury brought in a verdict accordingly.  The funeral took place afterwards.  There was a large gathering of settlers.  I read the service at the grave.
In the morning we finished planting Potatoes the far side of the orchard.
The day was fine, but it looks as if the wind is coming from the east again.

Thursday 8th  The wind is blowing in from the east and there were a few showers.
We dug some ground up in the orchard and sowed 5 rows of White Stone Turnips, we dug stockyard manure & bone dust into the ground, and sowed a little bone dust and ashes in the drills.
Went down to MrsMirehouse’s in the evening as she wished to consult me respecting her affairs.

Friday 9th  The wind still blowing from the E with showers of rain.  We were splitting the Kaihakatea the other side of the hill.
Mrs  Pratt came for dinner.

Saturday 10th  The wind still blowing from the E, but no rain.
We were working at the Kaihakatea  both morning & afternoon.  We saw 3 young lambs today, they are the first of ours that we have seen.

Sunday 11th  The wind still blowing from the same quarter.  It rained all day.  There was no service.

Monday 12th  The wind has gone down, but it rained steadily all day.  We made a new trough for the sow pigs.  The boys dug gum.

Tuesday 13th  It was fine in the morning, but it rained heavily in the afternoon.  We were working at the pig stye.  The Steamer came in early.  Charlie returned from Auckland.

Wednesday 14th  Charlie came up here first thing in the morning to tell me all the news from Auckland.  The boys were hauling for Tom & Joe Wyatt all day, and they brought up a Sack of Sharps for us.
We had several showers during the day.

Thursday 15th  My birthday, I am 46 years old today.  We had some very heavy showers in the morning, wind blowing very strong from SW.  Charlie came over in the morning and we went up to Neeleys to get some of my sheep out, as Charlie is going to buy them, but there were only 3 in his place so we put them inside our place and are going to wait until they get in his place again.  We put the palings on the pig stye roof in the afternoon.

Friday 16th  The boys hauled 3 Sacks of Bone Dust for Tom Wyatt & 1 Sack of Sharps for us.  We finished the roof of the pig stye.  It was a fine day.

Saturday 17th  Charlie came in the morning to plough.  It came on to rain at dinner time so he only worked half a day.  Mr Wyatt came in the morning and lined the pigs trough with zinc, which is for the new stye.
Willie P. came home with them from the skating in the evening and staid here all night.  It is a month since he spent the Sunday here.

Sunday 18th  we had a few showers during the day.  I read service in the afternoon, there were about 12 present.  I went to the Selwoods after service and staid for tea.

Monday 19th  Henry went to Pakiri the first thing in the morning to dig gum.  Charlie came over and we went up to Neeleys to get our Sheep out.  We took out 6 Sheep including our Ram and Charlie put another one over the fence into our place and marked it in the ear with his mark.  We took the 6 down to the beach in the evening.
Charlie was ploughing here with one pair of his bullocks and our bullocks.  I was burning off heaps of tea tree, and knocking out stumps.  It was a very fine day.

Tuesday 20th  It was a fine day.  Charlie borrowed our bullocks and hauled some goods up from the Wharf  and harrowed the Potatoe ground & they commenced to plant Potatoes on the ploughed ground.  We finished the new pig stye and put the sow in in the evening.  Mr Haskell came for dinner and the Miss McKenzies’s came for tea.

Wednesday 21st  John took the bullocks down to the Wharf in the morning and hauled up 3 bags of Flour which came up in the Steamer last night.  We cleaned the pigs out and gave them clean bedding, wheeled the manure into the orchard which we used in the afternoon.
In the afternoon we sowed three rows of White Stone Turnips next the others.  We also sowed one row of  Kentish Invicta Peas next the Turnips, put manure into the tranch and sowed the peas in a drill above the manured trench with bone dust.
The wind is blowing from the NE and it looks very much like rain.

Thursday 23rd   (should be 22nd)  It rained heavily last night, and it rained today.  John went gum digging in the morning.  We finished the pig stye in the afternoon.  Miss Selwood came and staid all night, and Miss Rollinson & Duncan Knaggs came in the evening.

Friday 23rd  We skinned a small wether lamb that died up at the old barn.  The ground was too wet to plant Potatoes, so we dug at the bottom of the orchard.
I went to Mr Walter’s & the Library in the evening.

Saturday 24th It was a fine day.  Charlie came and brought two pair of bullocks to plough, but they would not lead, so we had to get our bullocks as leaders.  I was burning heaps and knocking out stumps.  Henry came home from Pakiri in the evening.

Sunday 25th  It was a fine day.  Revd R. McKinney preached in the morning to a good congregation.  Mr Greenwood & Mr & Mrs Joseph Greenwood & little boy came here for dinner.
I read service in the afternoon there were about 35 present.  Henry returned to Pakiri in the evening with Wille P.  & took his horse.

Monday 26th  It was fine in the morning, but we had a few showers in the afternoon.  We planted Lapstone Kidney Potatoes next to where we planted the peas.
Maud & Jane went to Mr Walter’s in the evening.

Tuesday 27th  It was a fine day.  Atmosphere clear, wind SW.  In the morning we picked & packed 2 Cases Lemons containing respectively  19½ Doz & 17½ Doz.  Total 37 Doz.  2½ Doz of these came from Henry’s trees.  John hauled them down to the Wharf.  In the afternoon we continued planting Potatoes near the manure place, the far side of the orchard.

Wednesday 28th  We had several showers but it was very fine and warm between the showers.  We finished planting Lapstone Kidney Potatoes near the manure heap in the orchard.  We afterwards planted 2 rows of Tree Onions and 3 rows of Manchester Defiance Cabbage plants containing 58 plants.
Maud went up to Pratts with Mrs Rayner in the afternoon and returned in the evening.

Thursday 29th  In the morning we cleaned out the boars stye and mended the floor, which he had broken.  In the afternoon we transplanted a large Canadian Reinette Apple Tree.
The wind is blowing from the E  and we had a very heavy shower of rain in the evening.

Friday 30th  Wind E,  a fine day.  We transplanted 2 Lemon Trees for self and 1 for Henry.
Commenced digging the piece of ground intend for Onions, it is very wet.

Saturday 31st  A fine day, wind E.  We finished digging the piece of ground intended for Onions, in the morning.  Henry returned from Pakiri in the evening with Willie & Fred Pratt, who went to the rinkling and staid over the Sunday.