May 1890

Thursday 1st   We were burning in the morning.  There were several showers of rain.  In the afternoon we commenced sowing Grass Seed in the big clearing.

Friday 2nd   Continued sowing & raking in Grass Seed.

Saturday 3rd   Wind blowing strong from SE and it came on to rain in the afternoon.  John went shooting, but he only brought home a small Pheasant.  I cleaned out pigs.

Sunday 4th   It was blowing & raining all last night, and also most part of to day.  There was no service.

Monday 5th   It was blowing & raining nearly all day.  There was an election at the Hall to fill two vacancies on the Road Board, caused by the retirement of Messrs H. Brown & W. Lane.  The following were the names of the candidates and the number of votes recorded by each.
G. Knaggs          15
W. Lane               11
W. Greenwood  5
J. Witten                2
Messrs  G. Knaggs & W. Lane were therefore duly elected.
19 Ratepayers recorded their votes.

Tuesday 6th   Wind still from the E,  showery in the morning.  Wrote letters to Mr Runciman and Mr Haselden.
It cleared up a little in the afternoon, John hauled 12 Cases of Apples to the Wharf for A. McKenzie.

Wednesday 7th   The Steamer came in this morning at about 9 oclock.  It did not rain today, but was a dull day.
We sowed Grass Seed on the farm.  John went up to Pratts in the pm.

Thursday 8th   There was no rain today, but it was rather dull.  We were sowing grass seed.  John hauled some goods for T. W. K.

Friday 9th   It was a fine day.  We sawed up blocks of Puriri for firewood on the hill, both in the morning & afternoon.

Saturday 10th   John went shooting to Pakiri, but he did not shoot anything, he & Henry came home late.  Henry has left John Salt for a few weeks as J. S. is going to  square  junk.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day although we had some rain last night.  Read service in the Hall in the pm.

Monday 12th   It was a fine day.  John, Henry & I went down into the bush & sawed off a block for ends of cases, split some & palings and carried them home.
In the afternoon Henry went to Pakiri to bring home a single barrel gun that John has bought of C. Gravatt for £2.  I was making Cases.

Tuesday 13th   It was a fine day.  I was making Cases.  J. & H. picked Lemons, we packed two Cases 34½ Doz in all.  2½ Doz of Henry’s & 32 Doz of mine.
We also packed 2 Cases Stone Pippins.  The boys took them down with the horse as they could not find Redman.

Wednesday 14th   We hauled a spendid lot of firewood from the top of the hill & stacked it up at the back of the house.  The boys then got the plough up from the race course.

Thursday 15th   we ploughed the piece of ground on the top of the hill, that we had in Oats last season.
Maud & Alice went to Pakiri to see Madelene.
Mrs Fordham came in the evening & paid the mutton A/c.

Friday 16th   We dug up the headlands on the hill.  The boys dug up all the Kumeras.

Saturday 17th   We pulled up the peas sticks & commenced to dig to plant strawberries.  The boys went shooting in the afternoon & shot three Pheasants.  Mr Walter drew the net at Great Omaha and gave us some fish.

Sunday 18th   Mr McKinney preached in the Hall in the morning.  I did not go as I was very unwell and confined to my bed.  I was unable to read service in the afternoon.  Mr & Mrs Walter came to call in the afternoon.

Monday 19th  I was unable to get up in the morning as the pains in my back were very bad.  The boys finished digging the piece of ground intended for strawberries.  They afterwards made a drain near the garden gate, also dug up a piece of ground near the closet and sowed the following grass seeds.  viz  1st Crested Dogstail,
2nd Tall Fescue,  3rd Meadow Fescue.
Maud & Willie went to a Ball at Matakana got up by the batchelors.

Tuesday 20th    Maud & Willy returned early in the morning.  Willie helped the boys cut down a large Kaikatea tree in the morning, & the boys sawed off two blocks for ends of Fruit Cases.  It rained last night & early this morning & also a heavy shower in the middle of the day.

Wednesday 21th   It blew strong from the E and rained all day.  The boys shot three Pheasants.  I made a Fruit Case in the workshop.

Thursday 22nd   It continued blowing and raining all day.  The boys shot five Pheasants    I made a some Cases in the workshop.

Friday 23rd   Split some of the ends up, the tree splits very well.

Saturday 24th   The boys took Molly & Symon up the hill and drove them along the Big Omaha road as far as our land .  They then went on to Pakiri & returned in the evening, bringing with them two Pigeons.  I cleaned out two Pig Styes .

Sunday 25th   It was a fine day.  Willie P. came in the morning & brought us a nice piece of beef .  Mr Moore preached in the morning and I read service in the pm.  Charlie Wyatt came up here for tea.

Monday 26th   It was a fine day.  Sawed off some more blocks and split up both palings & ends.

Tuesday 27th   The boys picked 1 Case of Lemons, also picked in a lot of Maize.  In the afternoon they commenced to plant Strawberries.  They took to the Wharf with the horse 1 Case Lemons 14½ Doz.  14 Doz my own & ½ Doz Henry’s also 2 Cases Apples.  I was making Cases.

Wednesday 28th  As I have felt very unwell lately I went to Auckland by the “Rose Casey” this morning arriving in Auckland 3.15.  I went up to Mr Runcimans at Grafton Road in the tram.

Thursday 29th  Went down into the town in the morning, went to the Hospital to see Mr Graham who cut his foot, also went to see
Dr Mackellor, went with Runciman in the evening to the Tabernackle to hear Pastor Birch.

Friday 30th   Went down town again, also went again to see Dr Mackellor.

Saturday 31st   Very squally with heavy showers of rain.  Went down town, also went to call on Revd J. Haseldon, Arawa Street, he was just going to Helensville.