October 1922

Sunday 1st   It was a showery day.  Revd  Addenbrooke held service in the Church at 10.30 am.  There were about 37 present, 13 remained for communion.  Collection 18/- .  The Vicar preached a very good sermon.

Monday 2nd   It was a fine day, but everything was very wet after the rain we had last night.  Charlie & the boys went to Pakiri to help Dan Kempt spray his cattle.
I was up at the garden, but the ground was too wet to dig, so I weeded the gravel path and cut the grass on the path.  Went for the mail in the afternoon.

Tuesday 3rd   It was a fine day.  Jim was clearing slips off the wharf hill road with the dray, he went to a dance at the Claim in the evening in aid of the Big Omaha Tennis Club.  I was working in the garden all day.  In the afternoon I planted out 2 rows.   115 Onion plants.

Wednesday 4th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went down to the beach and carried bags of sand gravel over to the water trough and Jim carted them up to my gate.  I planted out 2 rows 112 plants of Onions.  That makes 227 plants with what I planted yesterday.  I went down for the mail after the arrival of the steamer.

Thursday 5th   It was a fine day.  I planted some Larkspurs that came from Mrs Neeley, also an Aquilegia.  I stuck the row of Stratagem Peas.  There was Community Singing in the Hall in the evening, Eddie, Ivy & I attended.

Friday 6th   A disagreable day, blowing strong from NE and threatening rain,  but no rain to speak of as I was working out in it.
I was digging between the sweet peas and the strip of ground between the sweet peas & cabbages .  Went down for the mail in the evening.
There was a parade of the Territorials, so Eddie was away all day.  Jim went to a dance at Pakiri in the evening.

Saturday 7th   It was a very showery day, driving showers from NE.
In the morning I went down to the Library to change my books.  In the afternoon the Stock & Furniture of Len Baker were sold by Auction by order of the Crown Land Commissioner.  Eddie & Jim attended & Eddie bought the crop of Lemons on the trees.

Sunday 8th   There were a few showers in the morning otherwise it was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went up to the garden to get some flowers for the church.  Mr Archie & Alf Dunning were here for dinner as Mrs Dunning is in Auckland.  I conducted service in the Church in the pm, there were 26 present,  Collection 11/- .
I went up to Wm Dunnings for tea and were intending going in to Mr Griggs in the evening for some music, but I came over shivery so I came home.

Monday 9th   A few slight showers, otherwise fine.  Too wet to do anything in the garden, so was digging round young trees in top orchard.  The boys were sawing box timber.  Went down for the mail in the evening.  Wrote a long letter to Willie in the evening.

Tuesday 10th   It was a very fine day.  I was helping Jim all day pick Lemons at Bakers’s place that Eddie bought at the sale last Saturday.

Wednesday 11th   It was a very fine day.  I was up at the garden morning & afternoon taking up Onion plants,  Dolly Wyatt came up for 2s/- worth, I gave her 300.  I took up 300 for Gus Neely & 200 for Alec Matheson.  Went down to the beach in the afternoon, carried some sand across to the wharf and Jim hauled it up, got the mail.

Thursday 12th   It was a beautiful day.  I went down to the P.O after breakfast to post a letter to Willie, and to take 300 Onion plants to Gus Neeley.  Frank Whalen came to the garden & I gave him 200 Onion plants.  I started to dig up one of the beds that the onions came out of – ready for Tomatoes.  Jim was drilling at H. Rodneys. Eddie rode to Pakiri to sell some cattle.
I attended Community Singing in the evening.

Friday 13th   It was a dull day.  I was working in the garden all day . I continued digging what I started yesterday.  Lennie went up with me in the afternoon, it was blowing very strong from NW, and it came on to rain so we had to come home so I could not finish my job.  Went for the mail in the evening.  Jim finished drilling at H. Rodneys.

Saturday 14th   There were a few showers otherwise it was a fine day.   I was up at the garden all day.  I finished digging the piece for the Tomatoes.  Mr Stewart came to the garden in the afternoon, I gave him some cabbage, cauliflower & onion plants.  Jim went to the Tennis opening at Pakiri.

Sunday 15th   Several showers, but fine between.  I attended Mr Pool’s service in the morning.  In the afternoon I called on Gravatts and Arthur Greenwoods.  In the evening there was a Choral Service in the Hall.  Ivy, Jim & I attended and we enjoyed it very much.
J. C. Wyatt presided & I read a sermon.  It was Jim Wyatts 24th birthday.

Monday 16th   It was a very fine day.  Charlie and the boys removed the engine up to the shed and commenced to cut the oat stack into chaff.
I was up at the garden all day.  I planted 2 rows of Canadian Wonder Beans.  I was also burning Oyster shells for Lime.

Tuesday 17th   It was a dull day, and showers in the afternoon & evening.  The flower plants from D. Hay & Son came last night and I was busy planting them, took my lunch up to the garden.  Minnie came in the pm for some Onion plants.  Wyatts finished cutting chaff.

Wednesday 18th   It was a very fine day, quite hot in the afternoon.
I went down to the village after breakfast to lodge a cheque for
£16 . 5 . 0 in the P. O Savings Bank, afterwards did odd jobs up at the garden.  Arthur Torkington came to the garden in the afternoon for some Onion plants.  I went down for the mail in the pm.

Thursday 19th   It was a very fine day.  Charlie and the boys were working at the Tennis Court in the morning, and at the beach in the pm.  I was up at the garden morning & afternoon.  I took up 200 Onion plants for Gus Neeley and some flower plants for Mr Shepherd of Warkworth where I am going tomorrow if I can get Trevor Gravatt to take me.

Friday 21st  [sic:20th]   It was a fine day ‘tho dull, a cold wind blowing from SW.  I went up to the garden before breakfast to get a few Lemons to take to Mrs Shepherd.  I went in the mail cart with Trevor Gravatt to Warkworth.   Went up to Mr Shepherds who is the head teacher and lives next to the School where I received a hearty welcome, had dinner there and afterwards walked up to Tom Williams.   Tom was away, but Myrtle W  showed me round his garden, but  [as I]  was going back with Trevor to Leigh to stay Mrs Williams pressed me to stay, but I had promised Mrs Shepherd to go back to her place.   Called on Mr Moore at Library, also on Revd Richards, returned to Mr Shepherds and staid the night,  Walter Cullen & Mr Moore were there for tea, Mr S  showed me round his garden & we had a long chat on flowers.  Paid Mr S  some Church money.

Saturday 21st   It was a fine day, but windy.  The Warkworth Cricket Club went to Matakana to play a match for the cup so Mr Shepherd who is Captain of the Club had to go.  I went down with him to the township and then he had to bid me goodbye.  Revd Richards called for me and as he was going to Pakiri he drove me as far as Jim Dunnings place where I got out and staid at Jims the night.

Sunday 22nd   It was a fine day, but windy.  Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Claim Hall in the morning.  Jim, Jane the children & I attended, Jane played for the singing.  There were about 19 present.  Collection 11/4.  Mr Addenbrook came to Jims for dinner and then went to Matakana for service.  Jim drove me home in the afternoon.

Monday 23rd   It was a fine day, but windy.  Eddie & Jim went to Pakiri to spray cattle.  I was up at the garden all day.  I planted the plants that Mr Shepherd gave me, also sowed the seeds.  Plants as follows.  Duronicum,  Blue Campanula & Mimulus.    Seeds,  Linum Red,  Limnaethes Douglasic,  Lychnis,  Phacelia Nephofle,  African Marigold  &  Cornflower.

Tuesday 24th   It was blowing hard last night, but the wind calmed down and it was a very fine day.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.  Eddie & Charlie were working at the engine on the beach.  Before breakfast I went up to the garden to get my spade & rake as I am going to work here today.  After breakfast I went down to the village.  I sent a bag with some Lemons & to Jane by Gus Neeley. Drew £6 out of the P.O. Bank, got the mail that arrived early this morning.  The remainder of the day I was preparing some ground to plant Onions for Eddie.

Wednesday 25th   It rained last night and early this morning, but it turned out a very fine day.  I continued preparing the ground for Onions and I planted 2 rows in the afternoon.
Mesdames  A. M. & A. R. Dunning were here for dinner, I picked a big bunch of flowers for  [them]  to take home.
I went down for the mail in the pm.

Thursday 26th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and went down & planted the third row of Onions before breakfast.  The remainder of the day I was working up at my garden,  I planted out some Pansies & 7 Tomatoes, watering and odd jobs.  Jim was ploughing in this orchard and Ab Wyatt was digging round the trees.

Friday 27th   It was a very hot day.  I got up early in the morning, the same time as the boys, and went up to the garden to get some flowers for Maggie to make button holes to sell this evening.
I was working up at the garden all day.  I planted some more Pansies near the front steps .  I put the Dahlia bulbs in a manured trench to shoot.  Dug up the ground  [where]  I usually grow Dahlias near the summer house.  Went down for the mail in the evening.  The W. T. C. U gave a concert in the hall in the evening, there was a jumble stall, refreshment & fish stalls, and they gave a good supper.  It was well attended, Ivy, Jim & I went, about £20 was taken, this is for the Prohibition campaign.

Saturday 28th   It was a dull day.  Eddie went to Matakana to play a Cricket Match against the Matakana Club.  After an early dinner Jim & Jessie drove to Pakiri to play a Tennis match against Pakiri.  Mrs R. Wyatt,  Maud,  Ivy,  Maggie,  Charlie  & Ab Wyatt were here for dinner.  I got up early and forked out convolvulus before breakfast. Was working up at the garden the remainder of the day.  I cut grass on the paths, mended the kerbing and dug the long bed.  As the boys were away Ab & Charlie milked in the evening.

Sunday 29th   It rained steadily last night and early this morning which will do a great deal of good to gardens & grass paddocks.  It turned out a fine day.  After breakfast I went up to the garden and picked flowers & took down to the church.  In the afternoon I called at Mr Hoskyns & Mr Hewitts & took them a bunch of roses each.  I then went down to Alec Mathesons where I had tea.  Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Church – at 7.30 pm – there were 30 present.  Collection 14/4.  The Vicar preached a very good sermon.

Monday 30th   It was a very fine day.  I was working up in the garden all day.  I took all the Onion plants up to give to Bob Wyatt, and started to dig the ground which the onions & cabbage plants occupied.  Dug the ground between the Tomates, the rain makes it easy to work.
Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock, they have taken down several fences so as to include the other side of the hill in the barley paddock.  I went to Mr A. Dunning‘s  in the evening, we played cribbage, spent a very pleasant evening.

Tuesday 31st   It rained last night, everything very wet this morning.
I was up at the garden all day, continued digging what I started yesterday.  Jim started to plough in the barley paddock, but he broke the plough so had to knock off.
Charlie & Eddie have been working at the engine at the beach, so Jim & I have been the only ones home for dinner.