October 1910

Saturday 1st   It was a  fine day.  After breakfast Willie & Grace went down to the wharf.  Archie Morley lent them his boat & supplied bait, they took their lunch and staid out all day and brought home several fish and a crayfish.
I staid at home taking it easy doing a little in the flower garden.  In the pm I went down to the village after the arrival of the “Kawau” and got the mail.

Sunday 2nd   It was a fine day.  Willie, Grace & I went over to spend the day at Jims place,  I rode, the others walked, they have got the house beautifully finished and furnished, and seem very comfortable and happy.
I called at Jas Darrochs and they gave me some flower plants, namely Miniture Sunflowes and Linaria.

Monday 3rd   When I got up I found that rain had fallen early this morning.  After breakfast I finished making out my quarterly returns and took them down to the post,  carried up a bag of sand.  After I returned  home I got some firewood.  It rained steady in the afternoon , the wind was blowing strong from the N.

Tuesday 4th   It was very showery in the morning, but finer in the pm, the wind has got round more to the W.  I got wood in the morning.  In the afternoon Willie took the horse down to the wharf with the box of Eggs & a Table that we are sending round to Jane, and he hauled up two loads of B & B manure (4 Cwt).  I also went down to the Village to get the mail, and I carried up a bag of sand.

Wednesday 5th   Very strong wind from the NW & W with driving showers, but very fine between the showers.  Willie took the horse & sleigh down to the wharf in the morning & hauled us 3 loads, 6 Cwt, this makes ½ ton of B & B manure.  In the afternoon he was digging round the young Diamond trees.
I was working in the flower garden, I planted 4 Miniture Sunflowers, removed a fuchsia that was growing too near the white Margarite, planted 3 purple Candytuft,  1 Lobelia,  1 Nasturtium and a clump of tall white Ixais

Thursday 6th   It rained heavily last night and everything was very wet this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  In the morning I cut the grass on the path in the flower garden, commenced to fix kerbing round the bednext the verandah.  In the pm I went down to the beach to sieve some black soil which I carried to the shed on the wharf, carried some home, called at the P.O for the mail.
Willie finished digging round the Diamond plums & commenced digging top side of house, had a bad head ache in the pm and had to lie down.

Friday 7th   There were a few showers otherwise it as a fine day.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters.
Willie started planting Up to Date Potatoes in the farm orchard where the Pumpkins grew last year, I was helping him when I returned from the village.  In the pm I was fixing kerbing round the bed near front steps.
Mr Carron put some Sheep in the front.  I went down for the mail in the evening and attended the Library.

Saturday 8th   It was showery in the morning, but was very fine in the pm.  Jack Walden came in the morning and brought the Photos of the Wedding Group.  Willie was planting Potatoes in the farm orchard all day, I was helping him in the morning.  I finished fixing the kerbing and dug up the bed near the front steps.  Grace walked to Ti Point in the pm returning in the evening.

Sunday 9th   It was showery in the morning, but finer in the pm.  Revd Teale held service in the Hall in the pm.  Willie, Grace & I went.  Gracie Knaggs played the organ for the first time.  Collection 9/-

Monday 10th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from NE and it was threatening for rain all day, and it commenced to rain in the evening.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail that came Saturday night, carried up a bag of black soil.  The Sheep that were put in the front last Friday were taken away today and sent to Auckland in the “Kawau“.
I planted out 3 Marabilis plants from the frame.  Willie finished planting Potatoes in the farm orchard.

Tuesday 11th   There was a misty rain during the night, but no great quantity of rain fell.  I hauled the Eggs down to the wharf in the pm , a heavy shower fell just as I got down there, but it cleared up and the sun came out and was a fine afternoon.  I hauled up a bag of black soil, do sand and the empty egg box.  Willie sowed a row of Stratagem Peas in the farm orchard.   I resowed the flower seeds in the frame.

Wednesday 12th   It was showery in the morning, cleared up in the pm, wind got round to the SW.  In the pm Willie was digging in the farm orchard.  I walked up to Mr Banks to take him some flower plants, also copy of births Register, he and Mr Rhodes were not at home, so after a rest I came down the hill again , called in at Mr Handbys where I had a cup of tea.

Thursday 13th   The wind was blowing very strong from NW & W especially in the morning accompanied by driving showers of rain.  In the pm the wind was not quite so strong and very slight showers. Willie was digging in the farm orchard all day.
In the morning I was getting wood, then I helped Willie dig, just before dinner I went down to the village to get the mail that had just come in by the “Kawau“.  Carried up a bag of sand.  In the afternoon I put a beef tin of sand round each rose tree in the diamond bed.  I planted 3 White Candituft and a Penstemon near the front gate.

Friday 14th   After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand,  the remainder of the day it was very showery, and poured with rain in the evening.  Willie went down to the village in the pm, carried up a woolpack.
On account of the weather I did not go down to attend the Library.

Saturday 15th   The wind has changed round to the S and it was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down to C. Wyatts to take a Photo of the wedding group, then I went down to the beach, gave a Photo to Hettie, she gave me some flower plants,  carried up a little sand , called at Archie Dunnings to leave 2 Photos.  The remainder of the morning I was helping Willie dig in the orchard, he commenced against the Beurre Bose the other side of the gully.  In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden, I planted 3 Pansies,  1 Hybiscus, 2 Lobelia,  2 Nasturtiums.

Sunday 16th   It was rather a dull day.  Willie walked over to Ti Point in the morning to spend the day, returning late in the evening, I staid at home.   In the pm I went down to the Hall, Revd Paris conducted service.
Duncan Greenwood returned with me and had tea here.

Monday 17th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went down to the village to get the mail which arrived here early yesterday morning, carried up some sand,  Joe T  gave me three small schnappers to bring home.
Willie was planting Potatoes below the house, I was helping him in the morning.   In the pm I was working in the flower garden, I sowed the following seeds,  White Mignonette,  Saponaria Calabrica,  Phlox Drummondie,  Nemophila Insignis,  Machet,  &  Godetia also 3 Nasturtiums.
Mr D. Knaggs & Connie came in the afternoon and staid tea and they went with us down to the Hall in the evening to hear the Service of Song called Paul the little Mediator performed by 15 persons, 8 Gents and 7 Ladies,  Revd Paris read the narrative, it was very good and we all enjoyed it very much, it was in aid of the Omaha Bible Class , they gave us a good supper.

Tuesday 18th   It was a fine day.   Addie Brown came for me to witness her signature.  Willie sowed 2 rows of Dun Beans below the house.  In the pm I hauled the box of Eggs down to the wharf,  brought up a lot of sand, empty Egg Box and Jar of Arsenate of Lead.

Wednesday 19th   It was a dull morning, but it turned out a very fine day.  After breakfast I walked over to Ti Point to spend the day.  I called in at Mr Ashworths to take 2 flower plants, I then went to Duncan Knaggs to take Mrs K some plants, she gave me a lot in exchange, I had dinner there and then I went to Mr Lloyds to take a plant to Nellie – she also gave me some and I had afternoon tea there and then went across to Joes where I had tea, Minnie gave me some Tomato & Pansy plants, also a schnapper to bring home.   I arrived home about 7.30 pm.

Thursday 20th   It was a very hot day.  In the morning I planted out 34 lettuce plants & 6 Tomato plants that I brought from Ti Point yesterday,  Willie planted out some Cabbage & Cauliflower plants that I also brought.  In the pm I planted out some Hollyhocks and Larkspurs & a Aquilegia that I brought from Ti Point.
Mabel & Ab’s children were here in the afternoon.

Friday 21st   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, the remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden.
In the evening there was a Nigger Minstrel entertainment in the Dacres Hall, Willie & Grace went, the Hall was packed, it was for the benefit of the Omaha Cricket Club.  I staid at home and went down to the village to attend the Library.

Saturday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  Willie & Grace went out in the boat fishing and caught a lot of fish, they did not get home until 7.30 pm.  I staid at home and was working in the flower garden all day.
I planted out the following plants,  6 Cinerarias,  3 Wallflowers,  3 Snapdraggons,  3 Scabiou,  2 Dimorphothea,  1 Zinnia,  1 Celosia.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day, but the wind has changed round to the NE and there are indications that rain is not far off.  In the afternoon I rode up the hill to Mr Banks and had tea there, it was their youngest child Cecil Douglas’ first birthday and Mrs John Greenwood , her two daughters & the twins,  Mr & Mrs Arthur Greenwood & their two children were there to celebrate it so there was a large party numbering 15 of us sat down for tea.

Monday 24th   The wind is still blowing strong from NE, very dull day and threatening for rain.  Willie was digging in the orchard all day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters and to get the mail that arrived on Saturday night, the remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden.   I planted out 12 Pansies,  1 Nicotiana,  2 Scabious,  1 Celosia.

Tuesday 25th   Graces 25th birthday.  The wind still blowing strong from NE and threatening for rain.  I sowed 2 clumps of Salmon Pink Sweet Peas.  In the pm I hauled the Box of Eggs down to the wharf  and hauled up empty egg box and a bag of sand up, coming home it commenced to rain and I got wet.  Willie commenced spraying the Pear trees and the rain knocked him off – the rain would spoil his work.

Wednesday 26th   It rained nearly all day, but it cleared up late in the pm.  The wind blowing strong from NW.

Thursday 27th   A showery day.  I rode down to the village at noon to get the mail.  I also carried up a bag of sand.  Willie was digging a little in the orchard.

Friday 28th   It was a beautiful day.   Willie was digging in the orchard.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up a bag of black soil.  I was working in the flower garden breaking lumps.
In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library, there was a meeting of the Farmers Association, only a few were present.

Saturday 29th   It was a very fine day, wind SW.  Willie was planting Pumpkins in the farm orchard, he planted 24 hills.
I was working in the flower garden , I sowed Mignonettee and planted a scarlet Verbena near the front gate, sowed Nemophila near the Magnolia tree and sowed White Cosmea near the top fence.  After dinner I went down to the village on the horse to get the mail, brought up a bag of black soil.

Sunday 30th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Grace walked to Ti Point to spend the day at Harold Torkingtons.  I walked to Ti Point to D. Knaggs where I had dinner, afterwards Duncan took Mrs Knaggs, Winnie , Connie & I in the boat up to Mr Waldens to have a look at his garden, he gave Mrs Knaggs and me some plants to bring with us, we had tea there, coming back Duncan landed me at the Ti Point wharf, I walked home arriving about 8.30 having spent a very pleasant day.

Monday 31st   The wind is blowing very strong from N.  Willie was planting a lot of Tomatoes between the Diamond plums, also several hills of Vegetable Marrows and 1 of Cucumber the top side of the house.  I planted the flower plants I got from Mr Waldens, viz  2 roots of Pelagonium,  1 clump each of Tigridia & Spaiaxis,  1 of an annual with brown flowers, also sowed in a box seeds of Phlox and Godetia.  It rained very heavy late in the pm & evening.