February 1909

Monday 1st   It was a fine day, although several times it came over very misty.
Willie & I were picking Orleans in the farm orchard,  Willie hauled 18 Cases of Orleans down to the wharf late in the pm for the “Kawau” which called in at about 6.45 pm.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  We were picking Orleans Plums in the farm Orchard in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to the wharf to meet the “Kawau“, she was late coming in.  Willie was picking Burbanks, Peaches &c in the orchard and hauled them down to the wharf in the evening.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I sowed in an old washing tub seeds of Enfield Market Cabbage, & Late Brocoli and in boxes seeds of Ranunculus Asiaticus & Anemone, Coionaria St Brigid.  In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden.
Willie sprayed the Apple & Pear trees.

Thursday 4th   It was a fine day.  I was weeding & loosening the ground the row of kumeras near the orchard gate.  Willie was carrying manure and putting it round the young Diamond Plums in the garden.  In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.  There was a meeting of the Farmers Association, experiments were made in testing milk.

Friday 5th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I were picking Orleans in the farm orchard all day.  We got the Sheep up in the afternoon and killed a wether.
In the evening Jane went over to stay the night with Mabel as they are both going to Mangawai in the “Kawau” early tomorrow morning with the cricketers who are going up there to play a game with the local team.

Saturday 6th   It was a fine day.  Willie took the mutton out in the morning, after which we were picking fruit in this orchard, and hauled it down to the wharf in the afternoon, I also went down and took Mrs Gravatt some vegetables, I got a bag of sand and it was hauled home.

Sunday 7th   It was a fine day.  Revd S. Entrican conducted service in the Hall in the morning.  I attended.  Just as we came out of church the “Kawau” came in bringing the cricketers back from Mangawai. Jim came up here with Jane for lunch.
In the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys and staid tea, Mr & Mrs Arthur Greenwood were also there.

Monday 8th   It looked very dull in the morning and had every appearance of rain, but it turned out a fine day.   Willie was picking fruit.   I was doing odd jobs.

Tuesday 9th   It had been raining during the night & early this morning, but afterwards it cleared up and turned out a very hot day. Willie was picking fruit.  In the morning I was digging round some of the young trees in the orchard.  In the afternoon Mabel called in, we went down to the village together, the “Kawau” was very late in coming in as she called at Waiwera.

Wednesday 10th   It was a fine day.  Warkworth Show today – none of us went and very few from this place.  Willie hauled the fruit & Eggs down to the wharf in the morning.  I was doing odd jobbs.
Willie went fishing in the afternoon and brought home three schnappers.

Thursday 11th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was thrashing Danthonia a second time in the Barley paddock all day.  I was clearing up in the pigs paddock.
Mrs G. Wyatt and two children spent the day here.  In the evening Jane went for the mail and attended the Library for me.

Friday 12th   It was very fine during the day, but the latter part of the afternoon it thundered and it came over very dull and in the evening it poured with rain.  Ernest came and he and Willie started to clean the Danthonia.  In the morning I went down to the store and from there to the wharf and sorted out some fruit cases that Willie had returned from Thompson and Hills.
We killed a Wether in the afternoon.

Saturday 13th   The rain that we had last night has softened the lumps – after getting firewood I was working in the flower garden all day.   Ernest & Willie were cleaning Danthonia.  It was a fine day.

Sunday 14th   It was a very fine day. Willie rode over to Ti Point to spend the day.
Mr & Mrs John Greenwood & Irvine came to spend the day, I look upon them as my oldest & best friends, being very worthy people. Jim was also here for tea.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day. Willie picked 4 Cases Golden Drop Plums and he took them down to the wharf in the afternoon and hauled up some empty fruit cases.  I was doing odd jobs.

Tuesday 16th   It was a very hot day, although the wind is blowing from S.  In the morning I was picking up apples, digging round a few of the trees &c, in the pm I went down to the village to get the mail.
Willie picked 10 Cases fruit and hauled them down in the evening.

Wednesday 17th   It was a fine day. Willie & Earnest were cleaning Danthonia all day.
I was digging round the apple trees, getting wood for the home &c. Mrs Ab Wyatt & children were for dinner.  Timmy Sullivan came in the afternoon to borrow Empress to go to see his sister Mrs Ernie Pratt tomorrow.  There was a heavy shower of rain in the evening.

Thursday 18th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest finished cleaning the Danthonia seed early in the pm.   Tillie & Gurtie Coplestone came up by the “Kawau” arriving her about 1 pm, Jane & I went down to meet them, and Willie took the horse and sleigh down later on and hauled up their luggage and the remainder of the returned fruit cases.
An old friend of mine and his wife, Mr & Mrs Joe Anderson also came up by the “Kawau” they went to stay at the Hotel.  In the evening I went down to the village to get the mail and attend the Library.

Friday 19th   It was a fine day.  The Miss Coplestones & Jane went down to Tennis in the afternoon. We killed a sheep.

Saturday 20th   It was a fine day. In the morning Willie was digging round the young trees in the orchard .  I was doing odd jobs and getting firewood.  After an early dinner all the young people went down to meet the “Kawau“.  Ken Wallace came up by her to stay with us .  Mr & Mrs Joe Anderson came up here and staid tea Joe & I had a long talk of old times.

Sunday 21st   It was a fine day.  Willie, Ken & the girls went to have a row on the harbour in the pm.   I did not go out anywhere.

Monday 22nd   It was a fine day.  Willie picked 4 Cases Fruit and hauled them down to the wharf in the morning to go by the “Kawau“.
I also went down to the village to take some things to the Hall and to get some things from the store.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  Mr & Mrs Jos  Anderson came to call in the morning, we were all busy preparing for the Show tomorrow, took some of the exhibits down to the Hall in the evening & Jane arranged my collection of flowers.

Wednesday 24th   It was a fine day, tho’ dull and therefore is was [sic] a very pleasant day, not too hot.  We got up early and after breakfast we all went down to take the remainder of the exhibits.
The “Kapanui” arrived from Auckland about noon, she only had about 30 passengers.  The exhibits of live stock were not so numerous as other years, but those inside the Hall were very numerous and of excellent quality.  There were a great quantity of flowers, but I only got 2 prizes for my collection.  The Concert in the evening was not of much account, Mr Mander, M.P. presided, Tillie played the opening pieces, & I gave a short speech, this being the 40th anniversary of our Show.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day.  Jane, Tillie & Gurtie went down to Tennis in the afternoon and they went to Mrs A. Dunnings for tea.
I attended the Library in the evening.

Friday 26th   It was a fine day.  Tille, Gurtie & Ken went to the Matakana Show with the Dunnings, they did not stay for the Concert but returned here for tea.  We killed a sheep in the evening.

Saturday 27th   It was a fine day.  After an early lunch all the young people went to the Claim to Tennis & Cricket and they staid the evening.  In the afternoon I went down to the Hall and cleared up all the rubbish outside and burnt it.

Sunday 28th   It was a fine day.  Revd  S. Entrican  held service in the Hall in the morning.  I attended and afterwards rode to Ti Point, Willie, Ken, Tillie & Gurtie walked over,  Ken, Willie & I had dinner & tea at Joes & the girls went to Harolds, we all went to the sandspit in the pm