November 1913

Saturday 1st   Eddie & Len Wyatt drove me in our sulky to Warkworth to a Cricket Match between Omaha & Port Albert.
Port Albert had a 3 point win.  The road was very heavy with the rain last night and rough so that we could not go very fast.  I took 26 varieties of Roses to Mr French , he showed me over the new council chambers & the Town Hall.   Met Mr Goerty in the street & we had a chat .  We had a shower going and coming home, but it was a very fine day, they had their tennis opening this afternoon and there was a dance in the hall in the evening, they gave us supper, got home about 1 am.

Sunday 2nd   There were several showers in the morning , fine in the afternoon, there was a shower in the evening.  Joe & Minnie came over to spend the day, they & Willie & I went down to Mr Sims service in the afternoon.

Monday 3rd   It was a fine day, wind SW.  After breakfast I went down to Chas Wyatts to wash the sulky which got very muddy last Saturday, staid there for dinner and had a look round his garden.
After I returned home I got firewood.  Willie earthed up the Potatoes in the farm orchard.

Tuesday 4th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I went the other side of the hill to cut pea sticks to stick the peas in the farm orchard.
I stuck the peas and then forked over the ground where the turnips were sown but did not come up as I intend to sow more turnips.
Willie went to borrow some fowl feed as on account of the strike in Auckland the steamer is not running.  In the afternoon Willie planted several hills of Pumpkins, 3 Cabbage plants and a bed of Mangels.

Wednesday 5th   It was a fine day, wind NW.  In the morning Willie took the horse down to the store  and got a little fowl feed.  In the afternoon he planted a row of Tomato plants and some Onions the upper side of the house.  In the morning I went over to the farm orchard and sowed a long row of Swede Turnips,  after I came back I planted 6 Caliopsis & 4 Larkspur.
In the afternoon I went down to George Knaggs to see how he is.
I took Mrs K a bunch of Roses.  Mrs Birdsall Senr & Mrs John Greenwood were there, we all had tea there and afterwards I called at Jim Greenwoods to enquire after Ernie who had a log roll over his leg which hurt his knee.

Thursday 6th   It rained last night which freshened things up nicely.
It was a fine day, wind from NW.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some matter, carried up some sand.  After I got home I got firewood.
In the afternoon I was helping Willie plant Onions the top side of the house.  In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library, Grace went down to Tennis & choir practice.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day.  Grace walked over to the Claim to spend the day with Mabel, on her way home she called in at tennis.
Mr Glass brought a Cow to the bull.  I was working in the flower garden.

Saturday 8th   There were several showers.  Willie was planting Scharlotts & Beet, in the afternoon he took his yacht down to the harbour to sail it.
I got firewood and then was working in the garden, I cut the grass on the path near the back gate, planted 2 Godetia in the round bed.
Annie & Sandy Matheson came to look at the garden in the afternoon.

Sunday 9th   It was a very showery day.  Willie & Grace went to Sydney Rhodes to spend the day.
Revd Macdonald held service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended, there was a fair congregation considering the weather, there was a heavy shower while we were in church. Collection 6/4.

Monday 10th   It rained heavily last night and early this morning, but it turned out a fine day,  one of the cows got into the garden before we were up, it trampled about and the ground being wet with the rain, it made a great mess, Willie was all day fixing up the fences.
I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  I planted out
5 Lobedia plants,  6 Annual Chrysanthemums and  4 Phlox Drummundi,  also sowed seeds of Schyanthus,  African Marigold & Phlox.
In the evening I went down to the village to see if I could hear something about the strike but I heard very little, carried up some sand.

Tuesday 11th   It was a fine day so I walked over to the Claim to spend the day with Jim & Jane, called in at Mrs Rogers to take her 2 Canterbury Bell plants.  Mrs Dunning Senr was staying at Jims, while we were at dinner it rained heavily while we were at dinner but cleared up in the afternoon,  I took Elsie Birdsall 2 Canterbury Bell plants and some Roses, had afternoon tea there and returned home just before dark, called in to Jims on my way.

Wednesday 12th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  Mr Torkington came & told us that the “Kawau” was going to leave Auckland for here at 10 this morning, he staid for dinner.  In the afternoon Mr Murray came for me to witness his signature, he had a look round my garden.  Willie took the horse down to the wharf in the pm with Eggs, the “Kawau” came in with a full cargo which was very acceptable as settlers were getting short of provisions,  I got some sand which Willie hauled up for me.  The Steward  gave me a paper which was full of Strike news.

Thursday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Willie took the horse down to the wharf & hauled up a Sk Wheat & Sk Manure.  I also went down and gathered up some sweepings on the old wharf and Len Wyatt gave me & my bag a ride up to my gate,
I got firewood and the remainder of the day I was working in the garden.  I planted 3 Zinnias & 3 Dahlias.  Willie commenced spraying the orchard.   In the evening I went for the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 14th   It was a fine day.  Willie took 2 boxes of Eggs & Butter down to the wharf and he hauled up for me 2 bags sand which I had gathered,  Willie went home, but I stayed down until the Steamer came in from Mangawai she took a great many boxes of Eggs & butter from here & some wool.  When I got home I got firewood and was working in the garden.
Willie was spraying in the orchard.  The Bible Class picnic was held in the afternoon I went down & took 2 beautiful bouquets of flowers.
I had tea down there, there was a concert in the evening and afterwards games & supper, it was the most enjoyable Bible Class picnic that has been held.  It rained very steadily while we were in the Hall which made the roads very sticky.

Saturday 15th   It was a fine day.  Willie sprayed the Strawberries for blight and in the afternoon he went fishing down to the wharf and brought home some herrings.
In the morning I went down to the store & carried up some sand.
I planted 2 Dahlias (Gondola)

Sunday 16th   It was fine in the morning ‘tho threatening.  Willie & Grace drove to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe & Minnie.
I walked to John Greenwoods to spend the day, I first called at Mrs Handbys,  Alf Gravatt was returning home with the cream cans and he gave me a ride to the top of the hill, I called at Mr Murrays to take him 2 Dahlia roots  ( R. D. Williamson & H. F. Robertson)  also some schalottes, called at A. Greenwood, and then went on to John Greenwoods.  Mr & Mrs Glass , Mr & Mrs Sid Rhodes and Mr H. Owens were also there spending the day, we had a look round the garden and were entertained with music, it came on the rain so the ladies staid all night and Sid Rhodes gave me a ride down in his trap.

Monday 17th   It was a fine day with the exception of a heavy shower at about 4 pm.  I was digging out docks and putting them on the rubbish heap in the pigs paddock to burn.  I went down to meet the steamer  at 5 pm and got the mail.  I received a letter from my brother Henry.

Tuesday 18th   It was a fine day.  I was digging in the garden , went down to the village to post some letters, took a bunch of Roses to the steward of the “Kawau” and he gave me a paper with an account of the strike.
Willie was spraying in the orchard.  Ivy & Inez Dunning came in the afternoon to look at the garden, we had afternoon tea for the first time in the summer house.  Grace went down with them to tennis.

Wednesday 19th   It was a fairly fine day, only one shower, I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  Willie was spraying the apples.  In the afternoon Willie & I went down to the wharf, Willie hauled up 1 Sack each of Sharps & Bran.
A parcel of books came for the Library I took them to the Library and opened them out.

Thursday 20th   It was a very hot day.  I made a heap of wood to burn the soil the upper side of the summer house and set fire to it.  Willie was sowing some Maize in the garden for green feed and putting on some wire netting on the fence the upper side of the house, we had an early tea and Grace went down to play Tennis & I went to the Library to catalogue the new books.

Friday 21st   A very hot day, there was a heavy thunder shower the latter part of the afternoon.  Will was planting Maize in the garden, I dug up the piece of ground I had the fire on yesterday.  Willie & Grace drove to Pakiri in the evening to a Ball.

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day.  I got up early milked the cows, fed the calves & fowls and was just sitting down to breakfast when Willie & Grace returned home from Pakiri.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, I carried up a bag of sand.  I was digging out convolvulus in the new border.  Willie was cleaning the sulky.  We had an early dinner and afterwards Willie went fishing to Ti Point.  I took a bouquet of flowers to the steward of the “Kawau“, he gave me a newspaper, I carried up a bag of sand.

Sunday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  Mr Madil Presbyterian student held service in the Hall in the morning, I attended, there was a fair congregation he gave us a very good congregation.  [sic: sermon] 
Mr & Mrs Salt drove over to spend the day with us.

Monday 24th   It was a dull morning .  I walked up to Kempts to witness old Mrs Kempts signature, I had dinner there.  It came over very misty and after dinner it rained, I got home without any rain, and I beat down the ground the upper side of the summer house and then it rained heavily.

Tuesday 25th   It was fine in the morning.  I went down to the P.O to post letters and to get the mail.  In the afternoon it rained heavily accompanied by thunder & lightening.  Before the rain commenced I planted 1 Dahlia (Mrs F. C. Stoup),  1 Fuchia,  3 Zinnias, 3 Everlastings.

Wednesday 26th   There were only a few slight showers, otherwise it was a fine day.  I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  I planted  3 Balsams, 4 Dahlias viz Princess, Mrs F. C. Stoup, Clincher & Dreadnaught.  I stuck the Convolvulus and dug up again the piece of ground intended for Dahlias.
Willie was planting Maize between the diamond plums for green feed.

Thursday 27th   It was a showery day.  I got firewood and was working in the flower garden, I planted 3 Zinnias, 1 White Peony Dahlia.
Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point to meet the steamer,  Mrs Lomer, late Miss Elsie Bacon came up to stay with us, the steamer made a round trip so she went into Big Omaha first.
I went down to the village to get the mail and to attend the Library.
There was no choir practice.
The road grader graded the road from the Hall to Harpers.

Friday 28th   It was a showery day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand.
I planted 2 Everlastings and 1 Dahlia (Red Cactus).
There was a concert at the Claim in aid of the local Tennis Club, but none of us went.

Saturday 29th   It rained heavily last night & early this morning,  I got up early and prepared for going to Auckland , picked a bunch of flowers for the steward and dug up a pink geranium plant for the engineer,  Willie went down to the wharf to help carry my luggage.
The “Kawau” left at 10.30, we had a rough passage and I felt very sick arrived at Auckland at 4pm,  Ken Wallace was on the wharf to meet me and we proceeded over to Devonport where I received a hearty welcome from the Wallace family.  Their family is rather small now as Gordon is married and living at Dominion Road.  Ken has been a special constable but is now off duty, but Bert is still serving as special constable.

Sunday 30th   A showery & squally day, we did not go out anywhere.
Tillie Coplestone came over in the afternoon.