Tuesday 1st It was a fine day, but very dull – no sun all day, and there was a breeze blowing. We all went to the Picnic at the Domain, Jane & I rode & Willie walked. I had dinner & tea with Mr & Mrs Sim. Willie and I returned in the evening to milk the cows, but Jane staid for the dance and went home with Miss Williams and staid the night.
Wednesday 2nd It was a fine day. I went down to the Store in the morning to post some letters and to get a cheque cashed and to pay a small act. In the afternoon Willie and I were cutting docks in the orchard and burning them. I went down to the E.R. to see Walter & George thrash tall fescue, Jane returned from Williams.
Thursday 3rd It was a fine day. Jane went down to the wharf to see some friends off by the “Kapanui“, but she did not come, but the “Kawau” came in her stead and is coming in again tomorrow morning on her way from Mangawai. I was digging out sorrel and other weeds in the orchard.
Friday 4th It was a very hot day. I was digging out sorrel in the orchard. Went down to the Post Office and Library in the evening.
Strawberry calved a bull calf.
Saturday 5th It was a hot day. Willie went fishing to Ti Point.
I was digging out and burning docks on the potato ground.
We got Strawberry up and milked her and shut up the calf.
Sunday 6th It was a very hot day. I rode over to Robert Williams in the morning, it was about 12 years since I was there before, Mr Dean an old Big Omaha school teacher was staying there. After dinner he took me round all his orchards, afterwards we all went to look at Heber Meiklejohn’s water mill. I returned home in the cool of the evening. Mr French was preaching at the Big Omaha school and Mr Hay, an Evangalist was preaching at the Maori Hall, both in the evening.
Monday 7th It was a hot day. Willie and I picked some Pears. Maggie called in the evening. We were picking Pears.
Tuesday 8th It was a fine day. We hauled down to the wharf 3 Cases Pears and a box of Eggs. I had 50 empty Fruit Cases up by the Steamer, we hauled 8 of them up and empty Egg Box.
Miss Williams and Miss McLeod were here for tea, we all went to the Monthly Social in the Hall in the evening, It was a great success. The sum of £2 . 6 . 6 was taken at the door.
Wednesday 9th It rained nearly all day, and in the afternoon and evening very heavy. I went down to the village in the morning.
Thursday 10th It was a fine day, but there were a few showers the latter part of the afternoon and evening. Willie and I were digging in the farm orchard in the morning and picking Jargonelle Pears in the afternoon. Jane rode to Ti Point in the afternoon.
Friday 11th It was a fine day. We picked 2 more Cases of Jargonelle Pears and hauled 5 Cases of the above down to the wharf The “Rob Roy” called in about 2 pm and took the fruit to Auckland, also 4 passengers, we hauled up 30 empty cases on the catamaran.
We got in the Sheep from the barley paddock and killed a fat ewe, one of Joe Greenwoods that had no lamb.
Saturday 12th It was a fine day. Cut up the Sheep in the morning and took it down to Harpers and Walter Wyatts. Willie went fishing to Ti Point.
Sunday 13th It was a fine day. Revd R. McKinney preached in the Hall in the morning, there was a large congregation, his sermon was a review of the century just passed.
Joe & Minnie and Mr & Mrs Mortimer & daughter came for the service and spent the day here.
Monday 14th It rained pretty heavy in the morning, but it cleared up and was fine in the afternoon. Willie and I sowed 2 rows Dun Beans next to the others, also 3 rows Turnips. I went to the Library in the evening to get some books for self.
Tuesday 15th It was a fine day. After packing the Eggs and doing several odd jobs Willie & I dug in some Maize next to the Kumeras (for green feed). Took the bullock down to the wharf with 1 box Eggs & Butter & 1 Case of Burbank Plums and hauled up 12 empty cases and egg box. George Wyatt sent away the Tall Fescue Seed to Messrs E. C. Pilkington, 9 Sacks that I have a 1/3 interest in and 1½ Sacks of his own. The “Rose Casey” had a very large cargo of Fruit &c and the “Kapanui” had over 100 Sheep.
Wednesday 16th It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing from NE and it threatens for rain. Willieand I were digging in maize for green feed. I syringed some Pear trees in the evening with Helbore powder for the leech.
Jane rode to Matakana and staid all night.
Thursday 17th The wind was blowing strong from NE and is threatening for rain.
Jane returned from Matakana. Willie and I were digging Potatoes.
Friday 18th The wind is still blowing from NE. I went down to P.O. in the morning. Willie and I were digging Potatoes.
I went down to the Library in the evening to attend the Annual Meeting of Subscribers.
Saturday 19th The wind still blowing strong from NE threatening rain, but we do not get any. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home 2 Schnappers.
There was a Meeting of the Road Board and the Domain Board in the Office in the afternoon . Dan Kempt came up here for tea as there was a meeting of the Musical Society in the evening.
Jane rode over to Dacres Claim to meet a Miss Cruickshank who returned with Jane to stay here. John Salt and G. Fletcher Jnr were here for dinner.
Sunday 20th It was very dull all day and threatening for rain, wind blowing from the same quarter. I went over to Joe Wyatts in the pm and staid for tea. I read service in the Hall in the evening, there were 15 present.
Monday 21st It was still blowing from same quarter & threatening rain. Jane & Miss Cruickshank rode to the Goat Island beach.
Willie and I were digging Potatoes.
Tuesday 22nd It was still blowing from same quarter & threatening rain. Willie and I were digging Potatoes. The “Kapanui” came in about 4 pm and the “Rose Casey” not until 8.30 pm.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening as a send off for Jim Sullivan.
Wednesday 23rd The wind blowing from the same quarter. We had several showers during the day. Willie and I were digging Potatoes. Jane rode with Miss Cruickshank to Matakana. I heard this evening that Queen Victoria had died last evening.
Thursday 24th The wind has changed round to the west, there were a few showers, especially in the morning. Jane returned from Matakana in the afternoon. Willie and I were digging Potatoes.
Friday 25th It was a fine day. I went down to the Post Office in the morning. There was to have been a Keinomatograph in the Hall in the evening, but the bridge at Glen Eden being closed for repairs it could not come, but several people came to the Hall so they had a dance.
Saturday 26th It was a very windy day and several showers. I rode to Matakana in the morning to put £10 in the P.O. Savings Bank for the Whangateau Domain Board, I returned to Mr Birdsalls where I had dinner, and he and I rode up Oponga Creek where we met Mr Ashton Senr and D. Kempt, we laid out some road work for the Road Board. I had tea at Mr Sims and then we went to the Domain Hall to a Public Meeting to elect a working Committee, Charlie and I rode home together and got home at 10 pm.
Sunday 27th It was a fine day and much calmer than yesterday. I went down to the Hall in the afternoon to drape the Hall with black for the memorial service this evening. I conducted the service, there was a very good congregation, we sang funeral hymns and the Dead march was played.
Monday 28th It was a dull day a bit squally and threatening rain. The “Rob Roy” came bringing a large cargo and 6 passengers and she took away a lot of fruit and charcoal and 16 passengers , we took down a box of Eggs and hauled up a Sack of Maize.
Tuesday 29th It rained heavily last night, it cleared up this morning so as to allow us to milk the cows, and then it set in to rain, and rained all day, we were just able to milk the cows and then it rained again in the evening.
Wednesday 30th It was a fine day. Willie and I were digging potatoes all day. Annie Matheson came for tea.
Thursday 31st It was a fine day. Willie and I were packing fruit, we packed 3 Cases Peaches, 1 Case Orleans Plums, 1 Ditto Apples.
Hauled them down to the Wharf in the afternoon and hauled up 1 Sack of Maize.
Memo’
The Fowls laid 426 Eggs during the month of January 1901
= to 35½ Doz. Valued at £1 . 2 . 2½