October 1905

Sunday 1st   It was fine & bright in the morning, but came over dull in the afternoon.
Willie went over to Ti Point in the morning to be ready for fishing leaving me all alone, as Jane is not back from Matakana.

Monday 2nd   It rained very heavy during last night and there were several showers today.
In the morning I packed the Eggs and grafted 3 Peach Stocks with Wright’s Early Plum.
In the afternoon I went over to the farm orchard and grafted a German Damson that had been headed down and shot out.  I put 35 Grafts of Grand Duke on to it.

Tuesday 3rd  Jane returned from Matakana just before dinner.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to post my Quarterly Returns, also to the wharf, but the “Gael” was very late in calling, so I did not stay until she came.

Wednesday 4th   In the morning I went down to N. Matheson‘s paddock to see if there were any Sheep in, but there were none, then I got “Spider” and brought him in.   In the afternoon I hauled a box of Eggs down to the wharf/  I had 2 Sacks Maize, 1 Sharps, 1 Bran, 2 Woolpacks up by the “Gael”.  Mr Dumper also sent me a patent Egg Box.  I hauled 1 Sack Maize, the patent Egg Box & the Woolpacks.
Fanny Wright came up by the Steamer and she came up here and staid all night.

Thursday 5th   Just as we were finishing breakfast Willie Wright came with a spare horse to take Fanny home.  I went down to
N. Matheson‘s paddock, but there were no sheep in, afterwards I took the bullock & catamaran down to the wharf and hauled up 1 Sack Sharps & 1 Sack Bran.  After lunch I went down to the wharf again with the bullock and sleigh and hauled up the other Sack of Maize.
I set 2 Hens with Brown Leghorn Eggs, one in the pine tree  (newest eggs) and one in the Pig Sty near the garden 13 Eggs under each hen.
Miss Gallie & May Clerk came in the afternoon and staid the evening.

Friday 6th   It was a fine day.  I went down to the wharf in the afternoon.  Joe, Harold & Willie came round in the yacht with fish to send to Auckland by the “Gael“, they gave me some kawhai for the fowls and 3 Crayfish.
Jane and I went down to the Hall in the evening to a meeting of the Flower Show Committee.  Willie returned from Ti Point in the evening.

Saturday 7th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I were digging in the orchard all day, we only dug round 3 Burbanks at the bottom of the orchard as the ground was rather stiff.
Jane rode to Ti Point in the afternoon and Joe, Minnie and children returned with her to stay.  We had a game of bridge in the evening.

Sunday 8th   It was a fine day.  Willie returned to Ti Point with Joe after dinner, Minnie went down with Jane & I to the Hall to service.  Mr H. R. French preached a very good sermon.  Minnie returned to Ti Point after the service.  Willie Dunning came up here for tea.

Monday 9th   Soon after I had milked in the morning it came on to rain and rained on and off the remainder of the day.

Tuesday 10th   It rained steadily all last night and nearly all to day.  It cleared up once or twice in the afternoon and I went to Mr Thomas Knaggs.  The rain seems to have changed the wind which is now in a cold quarter.

Wednesday 11th   In the morning I commenced to hoe the potatoes near the front gate, but it came on a misty rain and I had to leave off.  Got the bullock up after dinner and took the box of Eggs down to the wharf and hauled up the empty Egg Box and some grit for the fowls.
There was a Euchre party in the Hall in the evening to get funds to buy presents for the Xmas tree,  Jane and I went , but it was not well patronized.

Thursday 12th   It was a fine day, but several times the weather looked threatening.  Willie Dunning came to dig for me in this orchard.  Willie is a quick digger and we turned over a large piece of ground, round 9 trees.  It set in to rain steadily in the evening which will spoil our digging.

Friday 13th   It rained steadily all last night and the ground is very wet.  Willie Dunning came up before we had breakfast to bring me some Onion plants,  it was too wet to dig so we were pulling up tea tree on the hill.  Willie returned from Ti Point during the morning bringing a few schnappers.  We all three pulled up tea tree in the afternoon on the side of the hill behind Alberts house.
Emma was here for dinner.
Mr Roose came the latter part of the afternoon, had tea here and staid all night.  Willie D staid the evening and we were playing Bridge, Whist and Euchre.
There were several showers during the day, and it rained heavily in the evening.  None of us went down for the mail.

Saturday 14th   It was a fine day  We gave Mr Roose an order, he staid for lunch and then started back to Warkworth.
As Miss Gallie went to Auckland in the “Kawau” this morning May Clerk came here to stay, she and Jane rode to Pakiri to the Kia Ora Tennis opening.
Willie and I dug a piece of ground near the orchard gate for Onions and then we dug round one tree  (top Evans Early)  in the orchard.

Sunday 15th   It was a fine day.  Willie went to Ti Point to be in readiness for fishing tomorrow morning.  Jane and May went to Bible Class and Ivy Dunning came up with them to dinner.  Harold and Flo came to spend the day.
I set 2 Hens with Brown Leghorn Eggs one in a box just below the Pig Sty and one in the pen in the pigs paddock.

Monday 16th   It was a fine day.  Willie Dunning came to dig today, we dug round the Lord Wollesley Apple tree, Burkank & Beuree Capoumont, and then we went down below and started digging near the gulley, we dug round 1 Burbank, 1 October Purple , 1 Satsuma, 1 Hobbs Late Peach & 2 Early Orleans, 9 trees in all.  We did a good days work.  Willie staid for tea and the evening to have a game of cards.

Tuesday 17th   There was a misty rain nearly all day,  Could do very little out of doors.  Jane & May Clerk went to  A. Wyatts in the afternoon and spent the evening.

Wednesday 18th   It was a fine day.  Willie Dunning came in the morning, everything was very wet so we pulled tea tree on the hill behind Albert’s house until about 10 oclock and then we commenced to dig in the orchard.  We dug round 1 Early Orleans, 1 Gold Mine Nectarine, 1 Evans Early, 1 Late Orleans and 2 Green Gage.  6 trees in all.
Jane and May went down to the Steamer.  Willie and Jane went a ride in the evening.

Thursday 19th   It looked very dull first thing in the morning looking very much like rain.  Willie Dunning came up and started to dig, but had to knock off as it came on to rain.
I took the box of Eggs down to the wharf and hauled up Empty Egg Box and 1 Cwt Bag Bone Dust & Blood.  After I returned from the wharf it set in to rain and rained the remainder of the day.

Friday 20th   It was a fine day with the exception of a few showers in the morning.  Willie Dunning came up in the morning to see if it was fine enough to dig , the ground was too wet in this orchard, so we went over to the farm orchard and commenced to dig round the Orleans at the far end.
Willie returned from Ti Point just before dinner so all three of us were digging in the farm orchard in the afternoon, we dug to within two trees of the hedge.  I went down to the mail in the evening, but as Mr Boyd was over, I did not stay at the Library.

Saturday 21st   It was a fine day.  Willie Dunning came up in the morning bringing a parcel of Drapery from Mr Rooses that came by the “Kawau” this morning.  The two Willies and I were digging in the farm orchard, we finished digging round the 2 Orleansnear the hedge and then we started digging at the other end and we dug round 1 Apple tree and 2 Peach trees.  Willie D. was not working here in the afternoon.
There was a football match at the Claim between Omaha and Pakiri, Omaha won, Jane and May Clerk rode over.  In the afternoon Willie and I were digging in this orchard , we dug round 1 Vicar Pear and 2 Beurre Diels.

Sunday 22nd    Jane went to Bible Class in the morning.  It rained nearly all day, but it cleared up in the evening.  Willie and I did not go out.

Monday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  In the morning Willie took the bullock down to the Store and got 2 Bags of B & B manure, the ground in the orchard was rather wet after the rain, but we started digging under the large Vicar Pear tree and we dug round several Apple trees,  Willie went to Ti Point in the pm to fish.
Mr Minchin a Parliamentary candidate addressed the electors in the Public Hall in the evening, he is a very good speaker.  Jane and I went down.

Tuesday 24th   It was a fine day.  Willie Dunning came to day to dig, we commenced round the Ohinemuri Apples, finishing round the Beurrue Bose and uprooted Golden Russet Apple; digging round 11 trees.  Willie finished working here this evening.
I went down to the wharf in the evening to meet the “Kawau” on her way from Mangawai as I wanted to see Revd Favell who was on board, it was after 7 oclock before she came,  it came on a misty rain as i was going home.

Wednesday 25th   It was a fine day.  It was too wet to take the Eggs down to the wharf with the bullock, but I went down to meet the steamer.   The Footballers gave a plain and fancy dress ball in the Hall, two Miss Cruickshanks & Miss Campbell came here and went with us.  There were a good many fancy costumes, on account of the weather there were only about 80 present.

Thursday 26th   There were a few showers during the day.  It thundered heavily in the afternoon which changed the wind round to the west.  Being tired after last night we did not get up very early.  Willie and I were pulling tea tree all the morning.
The Misses Cruickshanks and Campbell returned home in the afternoon.  Willie went down to help clear up the Hall.

Friday 27th   Revd Favell came to our house about 4 am having just arrived from Auckland by the “Kawau“.  Willie & I got a few Sheep in to get one to kill one, we shut a Wether up for killing and we cleaned the remainder that were in the yard.  Albert came to tell us that Walter Frearson was going to get his sheep into the pen the other side of the hill, so Willie and I went over and we found that there were three of our sheep in, one was a ewe which had 2 Lambs.  (Ewe & Ram) we tailed & ear marked them,  there was a big Wether which we brought home and we killed it instead of the one we had penned up.  I went down for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 28th   It was a fine day.  Cut up the Sheep in the morning, it weighed 70 lbs.  I took a box of Eggs down to the wharf in the morning to meet the “Kawau“.  There was a heavy shower while I was down there, hauled up two empty Egg boxes and some grit.
Willie took the mutton over to Ti Point in the afternoon, Jane went to a meeting about the Xmas tree.

Sunday 29th   It rained heavily in the early morning, but cleared up afterwards and was a tolerably fine day.  Revd Favell held service in the Hall in the morning.  About 25 present, Collection 10/11.  Mr Favell returned to our place for lunch, we lent him Empress and he rode to Pakiri for pm service.  Revd C. Griffin held service in the pm, Jane & I went.  Willie went over to Ti Point.  It rained heavily in the evening.

Monday 30th   There was one shower in the morning, after that it cleared up and was a fine day.   I tried to hoe Potatoes but the ground was too wet, so I was pulling tea tree behind Albert’s house all day.
Revd Favell returned from John Greenwoods in the afternoon.  Willie Dunning came in the evening and we played Whist.

Tuesday 31st   It was a beautiful day and the ground is drying up.  The “Kawau” called in about noon, Revd Favell returned to Auckland by her, I went down to the wharf to see him off.  Joe,  Harold  &  Willie were there in the yacht, they gave me two crayfish to bring home.
I was hoeing Potatoes just below the house both morning and afternoon.