November 1928

Thursday 1st   It was a very fine day.  Hector very kindly helped me mend the wheelbarrow which was all to pieces.  I dug the ground between the pumpkin hills.  Finished digging where the onion plants were.

Friday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  I stuck the 2 rows of Peerless Peas that were sowed on 3rd October, also dug between the rows. Jim went to a meeting of the Cricket Association at Matakana.

Saturday 3rd   It was a very fine calm day.  I dug several strips of ground ready for planting peas & beans, also picked up a lot of manure.  There was a cricket match in the Domain .  Mullet Point  V  Omaha.  Omaha batted first and made 168 runs,  P. Dunning 95,  E. Wyatt 23 retired,  J. Wyatt 21,  J. Torkington 15.   Mullet Point made 228.  F. Anderson made 108 runs,  W. Edwards 42,  Algie Snr  19. The ladies entertained the visitors to lunch and tea in the hall.  Those [who] were playing Bowls were also invited to tea.

Sunday 4th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Marr (Methodist) held service in the morning, Jane, Hector & Mildred went,  2 of Will Dunnings girls and their brother Ted were here for dinner.  In the afternoon I went round to Harry Ashtons and had a long talk with Harry.  On my way home Seymour Smith overtook me in his car and gave me a ride to our gate.

Monday 5th  Guy Fawkes Day.  Weather very fine,  I sowed 2 rows of Peerless Peas next to the others and dug the strips between the rows.
Ina Dunning who is now 5 years old, started to go to Ti Point school with Mildred.

Tuesday 6th   It rained last night so the ground was not fit for planting anything.  So I got 5 tins of cow manure and Hector kindly carried them up into the garden for me.  I dug up again the ground between the pumpkins.

Wednesday 7th   It was a very fine day.  Jim & Hector are cutting ti tree scrub.  I sowed a double row of Scarlet Runner Beans next the peas I sowed on Monday .  I also planted out 6 Cabbage plants.

Thursday 8th   It was a very fine day.  Mrs Wallace and Alma came to spend the day,  they came up to see my garden,  Charlie Whitaker came in his car in the afternoon to take them home he came up here and had pm tea with, I went back with them to stay a few days at Wallaces, he called at the upper wharf, the steamer was alongside so went on board to have a chat with Captn Ohlsen.

Friday 9th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I went to see the Bromleys, I got a ride in the cream cart ,  I received a welcome,  Mr B showed me round his farm and his nice Jersey herd of cows and calves.  I had dinner there,  Mr Wallace rang me up saying they were going to Warkworth and that they would call for me at Bromleys.
I enjoyed the ride to Warkworth in their car.  Went to see Mr Cook (the editor of the Times) met a lot of old friends.  We arrived back at Mr Wallaces in time for pm tea.

Saturday 10th   The Wallaces and Whitakers intended to go to play bowls at the Claim in the afternoon, but it came on heavy rain so we could not go.  Willie & Annie Dunning came in the evening to see me, and Mr Wallace gave us a lot of records on his gramaphone.

Sunday 11th   It was fine after the rain yesterday and last night.
I went to Willie Dunnings for dinner, there was a large party of us, as Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning , Alf & Edgar came from Leigh,  after dinner Willie took us to see his lemon orchard .  In the evening Mr & Mrs Wallace and I went to have tea and spent the evening at Laurences.

Monday 12th   It was a fine day.  I walked up to Lew Meiklejohns whom I have known for a number of years.  On my way up I met Ned Dale & Les Meiklejohn,

Tuesday 13th   It was a very fine day.  I started to walk to Jack Matthew’s was overtaken by Tom Greenwood in their car, he was going to Kaipara Flats to fetch his mother & Mrs Birdsall Senr who were coming by train so he gave me a lift to Jacks gate.  Jack was working on the road so I did not see him, but I received a welcome from Mr M and  son and daughter,  [sic: …from Mr M’s son and daughter]  had dinner there and was shown round the garden.
George Anderson gave me a lift in his car to Mr Wallaces.

Wednesday 14th   It was a beautiful day.   It was the General Election Polling Day.  Charlie Whitaker was D. R. O. at Dacres, so he gave me a lift in his car to our gate,  I arrived home just as they had finished breakfast.
I took up some Tomato plants and put them in a box and took them down to Jim’s cream box for Les Meiklejohn and then went to the hall to record my vote.  I voted for Mr W. Jones and for Prohibition. Called in at Dolleys to get a few cabbage plants.  Jim & Hector went down to Pats in the evening to hear the result of the election.

Thursday 15th   It was a very fine day.  I was disappointed to hear about the election yesterday that Reform and United had 27 each, Labour 20 and Doubtful 6
Jane went to see friends in Big Omaha in Tom Ashton’s lorry.  I was working in the garden, I planted a few cabbage plants.  Hector was working at Jack Waldens.  I got a bundle of pea sticks in the afternoon.

Friday 16th   It was a very fine day.  I was paring the weeds on the path on my flower garden.  I planted 2 Tomatoes (Carters Sunrise)
In the evening I went down to Pats and he gave me a Herald with an account of the General Election which was held on Wednesday.

Saturday 17th   It was a very fine day.  The 1st Cup Cricket Match of this season was played in the Domain.   Omaha  V  Warkworth,  Omaha got a 3 point win.  My back was very bad so I staid at home.

Sunday 18th    It was a very fine day.   Revd Yule held service in the morning, all but Jane & I went, after the service they had their lunch in the Domain with the Wallaces.  Eddie Wyatt came to see me and so Jean gave us our dinner & then went down to the Domain.  Eddie went up to see my garden.

Monday 19th   A very fine day.  My back is still very bad and I did not get up until late in the morning.  Jim & Hector were cutting ti tree.

Tuesday 20th   A very fine day.  My back still bad.  I did not get up until late, went up into the garden, but could do no work.  Jane watered some things for me.

Wednesday 21st   It was a very fine day.  My back was still bad, and I did not get up very early.  By the afternoon mail I received three letters, one from my nephew H. G. Clarke of Hinckley, Leicestershire, one from my nephew Edmond Hudson of Leicester, the eldest son of my sister Lizzie, and one from Mrs Brockbank ne’ Lizzie Anderson, of Cumberland, England, enclosing views in her neighbourhood.

Thursday 22nd   It was a fine day, but was threatening for rain in the evening.  I cut 2 bundles of pea sticks the lower side of the road.  Wrote a letter to my son Willie.

Friday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I took a book down to Pats.  Cut a bundle of pea sticks.

Saturday 24th   It was a very fine day.  The Omaha cricketers journeyed to Port Albert to play with the local club .  Port Albert got a 2 point win.  As Laddie Whitaker has gone to the Auckland show, Hector went to milk his cows.

Sunday 25th   It was a fine day, ‘tho dull.  Revd Hart held service in the hall in the morning,  collection 12/4.  We had our lunch in the domain  with Wallaces.  Ken & family had come from Devonport this morning and were returning this evening.

Monday 26th   It rained during the night & early this morning, but cleared up and was fine, the rain has done a lot of good, it has penetrated deeply into the ground.  I dug a trench next the Homestead beans.  Hector got me the manure, I filled it into the trench, also ashes and B & B manure and was filling in the trench when it came on to rain and I had to knock off.  Jane went round to Whitakers in the afternoon.

Tuesday 27th   Janes 49th birthday.  The ground was wet on account of the rain yesterday afternoon so could not start too early.  The weather was fine in the morning with the exception of several slight showers, but heavier ones in the afternoon & evening.
I sowed a double row of Homestead Beans, also dug a strip this side, also a strip next the potatoes.

Wednesday 28th   It was a fine day.  I weeded between the Homestead beans and stuck them.  These were planted on the 20th October.

Thursday 29th   It was a very fine day.  I stuck the double row of Scarlet Runner Beans.  They were sown on the 7th Nov.  I also stuck the two rows of Peerless Peas, these were sown on the 5th November.  I watered the peas with liquid manure& dug between the rows.

Friday 30th   It was a very fine day.  I dug over strips of ground ready for planting.  Liquid manured the scarlet runner beans and watered other things.

The rainfall for November as registered at the P.O. Warkworth was 2.27 inches the maximum fall being 0.79 inches on the 25th.