October 1923

Monday 1st   It was a very fine day.  I sowed seeds of Lettuce,  Leek,  Zinnias,  Sweet Sultan,  & Salpiglossis,  I took up 500 Onion plants for Charlie Whitaker.  Jim was working at the pitch at Domain.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  The cricketers were laying down a new concrete pitch in the Domain,  I was helping them.  Pat Dunning & Mr Grigg came here for lunch.  I took  up  sent 500 onion plants to Charlie Whitaker by Gus Neeley.  Mrs Evans came in the afternoon.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day, but there are indications of a change.  The cricketers were laying the concrete pitch and they finished it in the pm.  Pat Dunning was here for lunch.  I went down to help them, I carried up 2 loads of black soil.

Thursday 4th   It rained heavily last night and filled the tank, it will do a lot of good, the ground was too wet to do too much on it.  I cut some pea sticks.

Friday 5th   It was a very fine day.  I sent 200 Onion plants to Mr Stewart by the children.  I was loosening between the crops with a dutch hoe, I went for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I took up 250 onion plants for Gus Neeley.  I prepared ground & planted 17 Cabbages.

Sunday 7th   It rained all morning, but it was fine in the afternoon.  No service to day.  Spent a quiet day at home reading.

Monday 8th   There was a very heavy dew this morning, but it turned out a fine day, only one shower in the morning.  I forked over the ground below the rubbish heap.
Sowed a bed of Enfield Market Cabbage.

Tuesday 9th   It was a fine day.  I carried up 2 loads of black soil, I pricked out some small plants in a shallow box.  Sowed seeds of Radish & Cauliflower.

Wednesday 10th   It was dull in the morning and later on it came on to rain & rained heavily in the pm .  Laddie Whitaker came to look at my garden.  Jim was carting for Jack Walden,  I cut a lot of Scotch thistle in the cow paddock.

Thursday 11th   It rained last night, it was fine this morning, but rained heavily in the afternoon, but cleared up later on,  I got pea sticks & sand,  sowed seed of Pilkington’s  Express Cabbage. Jim was working at Jack Wds.

Friday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working at Jack Ws .
I went to the store in the morning to make a few purchases.  In the pm I weeded round the beans, carried two loads of sand.

Saturday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working for Jack W half a day.  There was a cricket practice on the new pitch in the pm, only 5 turned up.  I stuck the Sweet Peas, also the Stratagem peas and dug between the rows, also dutch hoed between the Onions. Transplanted a few Califlower plants that Mrs Evans sent me.

Sunday 14th   It was very misty in the morning, but after a bit it cleared off and the sun came out.  I walked to meet Gus Neeley in the cream cart and went with him over to Leigh, called at Gravatts and had a chat and attended the Presbyterian service, Revd White of Helensville officiated and made a good impression.  After church I intended to go up to Eddies place, but it was raining & I had no overcoat, and as Mr & Mrs Stewart were driving over here to spend the day I came home with them, it was raining all the time, but when we got home it cleared up and was a fine afternoon.
Called in the evening to have a chat with Mr Holder.

Monday 15th   Dear old Jim Wyatts 25th birthday.  It rained heavily last night and there were heavy showers this morning, but fine in the afternoon.  Jim was working at Jack W’s.  I went round to Whitakers in the morning to take some yeart .  [?]  I pointed all the old bean sticks, also cut a bundle of new ones below the road.

Tuesday 16th   It rained last night, there was a shower during the morning, but fine in the pm.  Got the mail in the morning.  Got a bundle of bean sticks in the afternoon.

Wednesday 17th   It was a very windy day.  I went down to the butches in the morning.  Carried up 2 loads of sand .  Planted in the afternoon 1 row of 18 Coliflower pants that Gus Neeley gave me.

Thursday 18th   It was a fine day, but windy.  Jim was working at
Jack Ws.  I got 2 loads of sand, dug up the onion beds.

Friday 19th   It was a very fine day.  I sowed a row of Canadian Wonder beans and dug up the ground between it and rubbish heap. Laurence Whitaker called in the evening.

Saturday 20th   It was a dull morning, and threatening for rain.  There was a cricket match at Matakana of the Possibles & Probables to choose a team to defend the Walker shield.  Jim and I drove over, Jim went straight to the cricket field.  I called on Mr Richards to have a talk over Church matters, then I went to Mrs Williams, she was in Auckland, but Doreen gave me some dinner and then I called at John Cames & had a talk with him. and then went down to the cricket, met a lot of old friends, it came on a misty rain about 3 pm and it coming on heavier, they left off and we came home.

Sunday 21st   It was a very fine day.  In the afternoon I walked to Big Omaha to attend a Methodist service conducted by Revd Thornley, on my return home I found dear old Jim Wyatt here, having arrived about 3 oclock.  He staid here for tea and soon after he had to go home as they are milking 27 cows.  Jack Walden came after Jim had gone, he had some tea and had a look at my garden.

Monday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  I sowed 2 rows of Parsnips, 1 row of Turnips and planted out a row of Red Beet.  Charlina came in the afternoon to have a look at my garden.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  I sowed a double row of Homestead Beans.

Wednesday 24th   It rained a little last night, but it was fine today.
I dug the strip of ground between the Canadian Wonder & Homestead Beans.

Thursday 25th   It was a very fine day.  I sowed seeds in boxes of  Ten Week Stocks,  Salpiglossis,  Iceland Poppy,  Cornflower,  Canterbury Bell,  &  Penstemon.

Friday 26th   It was fine in the morning, but it came on to rain in the afternoon.  I was digging between the Peas.  Jane & I went round to Whitakers in the afternoon, but we got wet.

Saturday 27th   A fine day.  Nothing of importance

Sunday 28th   It was a fine day.  I went to Leigh in the cream cart in the morning, called at Arthur Greenwoods & had a talk to him about the Library, left my library books at A. Dunnings, and then went up to Eddie Wyatts, had dinner there, held service in the church at 2.30 pm , 30 present,  Collection 10/4 .  Went to Willie Dunnings for tea, afterwards, Willie, Annie & Alf & I went to Mr Stewarts, I staid the night.

Monday 29th   It was a fine day.  Mr Stewart drove me as far as the Ti Point school, calling up at my old garden for some flowers, walking home the remainder of the distance.  In the pm I finished digging up the top corner.

Tuesday 30th   It was a fine day.  I dug the strip of ground below  top fence.

Wednesday 31st   It was a very hot day.  I weeded the Onions,  planted out 23 lettuces where the onion plants were grown.
Mrs Dale & Mrs Lewis Meiklejohn came to spend the day.