Monday 1st There were several showers during the day. Willie was mending the fence between the barley paddock & Willie Dunning’s place. In the morning I planted a row of Tree Onions in the farm orchard and dug nearly sufficient ground to put in a row of peas. Willie Dunning called in the evening but did not stay.
Tuesday 2nd It was a fine day. I dug sufficient ground in the farm orchard to sow in a row of peas. I opened out a trench and put into it cow & fowl manure, and blood & bone & superphosphate mixed and then covered it in ready for sowing, but the ground was rather wet for making the drill for the seed. Willie was re-fixing the separator in the store. In the evening I went down to Archie Dunning and spent a very pleasant time at cards.
Wednesday 3rd It was a very calm fine day. I was digging between the roses near the wire netting fence. In the afternoon I went down to the steamer to get the mail. Grace & Raymond went round in the steamer to Ti Point.
Wednesday 4th It was a fine day. Willie took the sulky down to the wharf with the eggs. Willie Harper came up to tell me that someone in Auckland wanted to see me and asking me to go up by the Kawau this morning which was leaving here at 10.am. He said the message came from Devonport but he could not catch the name of the sender, so I concluded that the call came from Mr Wallace, so I quickly got ready and caught the boat, we had a calm trip up arriving in Auckland at 3.30 pm.
I then found that a mistake had been made, it was Mr Glass who was wanted, Mr Betham was on the wharf, he lives at Takapuna and Mrs Glass is staying with them, and is ill. On arrival I sent a wire to Willie telling the mistake and then went across to Devonport, the Wallaces were very pleased to see me. Mr Wallace & I went to the pictures in the evening.
Friday 5th It was a fine day, but the wind has changed to the NE,
I left Wallaces’ at about 10.30 am and went over to Auckland, called on Mr Grindrod at his office, did some shopping and then embarked on the “Kawau” on the return trip to Leigh at 2 pm. We arrived at 7.30 after a pretty rough trip. Willie was down to meet me and went straight home. Mrs Knowles was spending the evening there. There was a Patriotic dance in the Hall but none of us went.
Saturday 6th It was a fine day, but wind blowing strong from NE. Willie sowed a long row of Carrots in the new garden.
I sowed a long row of Stratagem Peas in the farm orchard, also 6 Tomato plants and some flower plants & cuttings.
Grace attended a meeting of the W. C. T. U. in the pm.
Sunday 7th It was fine in the morning, the wind was blowing strong from NW, but in the afternoon the wind changed to SW and it rained.
Mr Macdonald held service in the church in the afternoon, all of us attended, Congregation 20, Collection 10/1.
Monday 8th It rained all day. Were not able to do anything out of doors.
Tuesday 9th It was a very fine day. In the morning I dug round 6 Commerce Apple trees and 1 Keifer Pear. In the afternoon I was digging in the flower garden.
Wednesday 10th It was fine in the morning. I took a sieve down to the beach & sieved a lot of sand, which I carried across to the wharf for Willie to haul up. It came on a gentle rain in the middle of the day and continued all afternoon and evening. Willie took the sulky down to Mr Glass’ to get his box of eggs which he carted down to the wharf with his own. Mr Glass came up by the steamer.
Thursday 11th There were a few slight showers. I was digging round the roses near the wire netting fence. I went down for the mail in the evening. There was a meeting of the Hall Committee.
Friday 12th There were a few slight showers. I was fixing up the fence the upper side of the house to keep the fowls out of the flower garden.
Saturday 13th There was rather a heavy shower in the morning, otherwise it was a very fine day. I dug between the Roses in the Diamond bed.
There was a meeting of Ratepayers in the evening.
Sunday 14th It was very fine day. I held service in the Church in the afternoon about 34 present. Collection 9/11. Flo’ T came up here after Church & staid the night.
Monday 15th It was a beautiful day. I was working in the flower garden all day. Flo & baby returned to Ti Point in the pm. Grace and Raymond went with them.
Willie was planting Kumeras in the garden also a bed of Cabbages.
Tuesday 16th It was a beautiful day. I was working in the flower garden all day. The big Jersey cow Kate calved a bull calf. Willie was planting Kumeras in the garden. Grace & Raymond returned home in the evening.
Wednesday 17th It was a very fine day. I was working in the flower garden. Willie was planting Kumeras. In the afternoon Willie took the sulky down to the wharf with a box of Eggs, he hauled up a Sk Maize, Groceries and a bag of sand for me. I was also down at the village.
Thursday 18th It was a beautiful day. Willie was planting Kumeras & Cucumbers. I was working in the flower garden all day. I dug up the strip of ground next the wire netting fence, I dug in scrapings from the cow yard and sand round the roses, planting a clump of Gladiolus (Mrs Handbys), sowed seeds of Zinnia, Humimannis, Lupin, Larkspur, Stock, Escholtzia (Gorgious).
Went down for the mail in the evening. Dave came in the evening and staid the night.
Friday 19th It rained first thing in the morning, but it soon cleared up and was a fine day. I was digging round and manuring the roses near the citron tree.
Willie was planting Kumeras.
There was a send off for A. Dunning Jnr who is home on his last leave, it was well attended. Grace & I went.
Saturday 20th It was a very fine day. All of us went down to see Archie Dunning off by the “Kawau“, there was a crowd to bid him good bye. I was working in my garden.
Sunday 21st It was a very fine day. Dave and I attended the Presbyterian service in the morning, Revd Boyle officiated. He informed the congregation that he had sent in his resignation and intended to [join] the expeditionary force. After the service Mr A. Dunning asked Dave and me to dine at his house, Mr Boyle and Alec Matheson also dined there. We were shown the Roll of Honour of the boys who have gone from the Omaha district to fight for King and country in this great war. It was executed by Mr Lloyd of Silverdale. I was very pleased with it, it is a splendid work of art.
Monday 22nd It was showery in the morning but fine in the afternoon. Willie & Dave were digging between the Lemon trees in the farm orchard. I was clearing away and digging in the flower garden until the rain drove me in. Went to W. Dunnings in the evening.
Tuesday 23rd It was a fine day. Willie & Dave were digging in the farm orchard. I got firewood, went down to the Hall to see about the Roll of Honour. I was told that Cyrus Matheson had died of wounds last Thursday in France, from the effect of wounds, shell shock & gassed.
The Roll of Honour was unveiled at 8 pm by Mr A. Dunning,
I conducted a short service and gave a patriotic address, Mr Knowles gave a recitation, about 100 were present.
Wednesday 24th It was a very hot day threatening for rain in the evening, but it is doubtful whether we get any.
Willie & Dave finished digging round the Lemon trees in the farm orchard.
I was working in the flower garden, in the evening I went down for the mail.
In the morning I went down to the beach and carried some sand across to the wharf and Willie carted it up for me when he took his eggs down to the steamer.
Thursday 25th It was a fine day, ‘tho threatening. Dave brought his horse over and commenced to plough in this orchard. Willie was sowing manure round the trees. I was working in the flower garden. Went down for the mail in the evening.
Friday 26th It was a fine day, but threatening. Willie was slashing grass in the orchard ready for ploughing. Dave took the sulky to the wharf. I finished digging the piece near the summer house.
Saturday 27th When we got up in the morning we found it had been raining, but it did not last long and turned out a hot day. Willie & Dave went to Dave’s place and brought home two cows, one has just calved. Dave was ploughing in the orchard in the pm. I was working in the flower garden. I sowed seeds of Miniature Sunflower, also planted out a lot of House Leeks.
Grace & Raymond went to Mrs A. Wyatts in the afternoon to Dolly’s birthday.
I walked over to Jim’s place after tea, staid the night.
Sunday 28th A slight shower while we were at breakfast, turned out a fine day.
After breakfast I went to call at Wattie Darroch’s, Mr & Mrs David are staying there just now, but they live at Stanley Bay. Minnie & Jack & Ernie came in the afternoon, all of us had tea there, I returned home in the evening.
Monday 29th It was a fine day. After breakfast I planted 26 Lettuce plants that Jim gave me, in the farm’s orchard. Dave was ploughing in the orchard. The remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden digging & clearing below the front steps.
Tuesday 30th Archie Dunning came while we were having breakfast for me to go with him to look out a Puriri tree that he is going to split to fence in the hall, it came on to rain and I got wet. Afterwards it turned out a fine day. I finished digging the piece blow [sic: below] the dining room casement.
Wednesday 31st There was a steady rain nearly all day without hardly any break. Willie was cutting down Kerosene tins to feed calves in. I was making garden labels. Dave went down for the mail in the afternoon.