Friday 1st It was a fine day. Willie was plowing with his new plough in the orchard in the afternoon.
I dug round 4 trees.
I went down to Mr Glass’ in the morning. Called in to see how Mrs G. Knaggs was, also called at Jas Greenwoods. In the evening I went to choir practice.
Saturday 2nd It was a dull morning. After breakfast I went down to the village to post a paper, went round the new road the other side of the harbour leading to the Pa – carried up some sand. In the morning Willie was ploughing in the orchard, I dug round 2 trees.
In the afternoon Willie & Grace went fishing to the wharf, it came on to rain steadily and they got a bit wet.
Sunday 3rd It was a fine day. Mr J. W. Moore (Methodist) conducted service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended. 20 present. Collection 3/9.
Monday 4th It was a fine day. In the morning I was helping Willie plant Onions in the farm orchard. In the afternoon I went to Addisons and Ashworths to tell them about a meeting of the Fruitgrowers Association this evening. In the evening Willie & I went down to the Hall to the Fruitgrowers meeting, 6 persons present signed a petition to the Minister of Agriculture re N. Z Fruitgrowers Federation. Mr J. C. Wyatt was elected President & Mr Glass Secretary & Treasurer of the Association & I handed over to Mr Glass the sum of £1 . 18 . 6 which I had held since Mr Rhodes left. After the meeting all of us went down to the wharf when the “Kawau” arrived from Auckland. Jack & Henry sent Willie a Cultivator as a present, it arrived by the steamer to night.
Tuesday 5th It was a fine day. Willie went down to the wharf and hauled up the Cultivator, some bags of manure and a bag of sand for me.
I planted a long row of Stratagem Peas in the farm orchard.
Wednesday 6th It was a fine day. I sowed 2 rows of White Stone Turnip in the farm orchard.
Willie was slashing down stuff in the orchard ready for ploughing. We took his Eggs down to the wharf in the evening and hauled up flour, potatoes, & groceries.
Thursday 7th It rained early this morning and when we got up there was a misty rain and the wind is round to the SE.
I planted out 11 Pansy plants and afterwards got some firewood.
Willie had to shoot his Bull (Billy) as he had strained his back and was not able to stand, I helped to skin him and cut him up.
In the evening it was very misty, I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Friday 8th It was misty this morning, but after awhile the sun came out and it was fine. Duncan Knaggs came in the morning and told us that his mother (Mrs George Knaggs) had died yesterday afternoon, aged 85.
I sowed seeds of the following. Tomato (Mr Wallaces), Tomato (Yates), Cabbage (St John’s Day), also flower seeds, Cornflower (Mauve & Yellow), (Phlox Drummondi), in boxes, and Escoltzia & Calliopsis Drummondi in the open border.
In the afternoon I went down to the Steamer to get the mail. In the evening Grace & I went down to the choir practice, but there was none.
Saturday 9th It rained pretty heavy last night and it was misty and showery to day.
Mrs George Knaggs was buried in this cemetery at 2.30 pm. Revd Yarnall (Presbyterian) conducted the service at the grave. Grace & I went.
Sunday 10th It rained last night and although it did not rain to day, it was very wet, dull and threatening. Willie & Grace went to spend the day with Mr & Mrs Glass.
Revd Macdonald held service in the Church in the evening there were about 25 present. Collection 8/6.
Monday 11th It was a beautiful day.
I got firewood, and in the afternoon I went over to the farm orchard and dug up some ground for beans and then went down to the Steamer for the mail.
Grace went over to Ti Point in the pm. Willie was grafting an apple Tree with Edward Lippiatt & clearing in the orchard ready for ploughing.
Tuesday 12th It was a beautiful day. I sowed 1 long row of Dun Beans in the farm orchard also dug enough ground and got ready for another row of Peas.
Willie put his Cultivator together and was working in the orchard.
Wednesday 13th It was a beautiful day. I sowed 1 long row of Stratagem Peas in the farm orchard. There was a meeting of Anglican ladies in the Church in the afternoon to arrange about a supper in the Hall after the Church Dedication.
Thursday 14th It was a fine day. I was working in the farm orchard. I planted 20 Tomato plants that Minnie brought me yesterday.
Willie was ploughing in the orchard.
In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library.
Friday 15th I took some water over to the farm orchard to water the Tomato plants as a few of them were flagging, I straightened up the digging there. In the afternoon I dug round the Roses in the diamond bed. In the evening I went down to the choir practice and got the mail, it rained as I was coming home and I got wet.
Saturday 16th The rain we had last night has nicely moistened the soil, it is very fine to day. I was helping Willie hoe between the Potatoes at the top side of the house, Grace, Agnes and Edith went to see how Mrs Glass is.
Sunday 17th It commenced to rain early this morning and there were several showers during the day, it was finer in the afternoon although the wind was blowing strong from the W.
I conducted service in the Church in the pm. There were present 30. Collection 5/5.
Monday 18th There were several showers during the day and strong westerly winds. Willie was clearing in the orchard ready for ploughing. I was working in the flower garden, cutting the grass off the paths &c.
Tuesday 19th It was terribly windy to day and it blew my rustic arch down in the flower garden, it also was very showery. In the morning I went down to the village to get the mail, carried up some sand. Willie was clearing in the orchard ready for ploughing. The Cadets were being drilled in the Hall.
Wednesday 20th It was still blowing from the W, but not quite so strong as yesterday, there were a few showers. Willie was ploughing in the orchard. In the pm he took a box of Eggs down to the wharf and he brought up a Sk of manure and a bag of sand for me.
In the morning I got firewood and wrote letters to Mr Grindrod & my son Jack which I posted in the afternoon when I went down to the steamer to get the mail, I carried up a bag of sand.
Thursday 21st It was a fine day. I was working in the flower garden.
In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library. There was a meeting of the Ratepayers Association in the Library.
Friday 22nd It was a fine day. Willie finished ploughing in this orchard. I was working in the flower garden. Went down to the steamer in the pm. Also in the evening to the choir practice. Mr Roose, traveller for Bridgman called when we were having dinner, I gave him a small order.
Saturday 23rd It was a fine day. I walked over to the Claim in the pm to stay with Jim and Jane.
Sunday 24th It was a very wet day. Wind blowing strong from NE. Revd Mather should have held service in the Claim hall in the afternoon, but on account of the weather there was no service.
I went to call at Mr Sadlers in the pm.
Monday 25th It was a showery day but the wind has changed to SW.
I returned home in the morning, in the pm I planted 25 Lettuce plants in the farm orchard and got firewood.
Tuesday 26th It was helping Willie dig the piece of ground below the house. There was a heavy shower of rain in the pm accompanied with heavy Thunder.
Wednesday 27th It was a fine day. Willie finished digging the piece of ground below the house. I was fixing up the WC. In the afternoon I went down to the village, I arranged the seats in the Church for the dedication. Mr Woods sent up by the steamer the Font and Desk for the Church, I got it brought up & put it inside.
Thursday 28th It was a disagreeable day, raining, thundering and hail stones. I went down to the village in the afternoon to get the mail and attend the Library.
Friday 29th It was a very fine day. I went down to the village in the morning to trim the lamps in the Church and helping to prepare the Hall for this evening. The ladies were cutting sandwiches. After lunch Willie took the sulky down to the village and brought the Bishops up here for tea, Mrs John Greenwood was here to help Grace. All of us went down to the Church in the evening, the Church was dedicated by Bishop Averill, 6 persons were confirmed. The church could not contain the congregation, many had to stand outside. After the service the congregation were invited to adjourn to the Hall to welcome the Bishop. The ladies provided supper, speeches were made by the Bishop, Mr Macdonald & myself. The Bishop returned with us to stay the night. The people of this district who were at the service this evening were very much impressed with the Bishop’s address and it will be a pleasant memory to them.
Saturday 30th There were several showers during the day. Mr Macdonald called up here in the morning before we had finished breakfast, he had a look round the flower garden, Willie drove he & the Bishop down to the village, the Bishop was returning to Auckland by the “Kawau” this afternoon. Mrs Henry & Mr Macdonald returned to Warkworth. I went down to the village and helped clear the Hall and straighten the Church.
Sunday 31st It was a showery day, Revd Southern (Methodist) held service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended. Afterwards I went up to the Charlie Wyatts for tea.