Tuesday 1st It was a showery day. We sowed 2 Rows of Peas (Stratagem) down at the Cottage and a row of Potatoes (Up to Date) between the Peas, this finishes the planting of Potatoes.
Jane went down to the Steamer and Mrs Duncan Knaggs came up with her and had tea here.
Wednesday 2nd It was a showery day. I sowed seeds of Early York Cabbage & Peach Tomato in boxes near the closet.
Jane went round in the “Kawau” to Ti Point to go to the Social in the Claim Hall this evening given by the crew of the “Kawau“, several other girls also went round in her.
Thursday 3rd There were a few showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon & a beautiful evening. I went down to meet the “Kawau“, the girls came back in her from the Social which they enjoyed very much.
I sowed seeds of Early London Cauliflower in a cut down kerosine tin. Willie was planting strawberries in his garden. In the afternoon Willie & I commenced digging the piece of ground that was in maize last season.
Friday 4th It was a dull day, the wind blowing strong from NE and looking very much like rain . We finished digging the piece of ground that we commenced yesterday, we never dug this piece of ground in such a short time before.
Jane rode to Pakiri to be present at the farewell social given by the Austrians, who are leaving. Jane staid all night at Ellis Dyers. I went down for the mail in the evening.
Saturday 5th It rained heavily last night, the wind is still blowing very strong, but it has changed to the SE, there is a heavy sea outside.
Willie walked to Ti Point and brought home a few oysters. I was cutting tea tree on the hill in the corner near Alec Haskells.
Jane returned from Pakiri in the afternoon having enjoyed herself very much last night.
Sunday 6th It was a beautiful day. Willie and I walked to Ti Point to spend the day, we had dinner at Minnies and in the afternoon I called at Duncan Knaggs’ where I had tea. Jane remained at home all day.
Monday 7th It was a fine day, but not so bright and calm as it was yesterday, the wind was blowing very strong from the N. Willie and I commenced digging the orchard, we commenced at the top corner, and dug round 5 trees, viz 1 Reinette, 2 Jargonells, 1 Bon Cretian and 1 Wager Peach.
Tuesday 8th It was blowing very strong and raining heavily last night, and it was showery all to day. Willie and I were cutting tea tree between the showers.
I took the Eggs down to the Store in the pm, also went to the Hall, they were getting ready for the Euchre party. Fred Belcher and Jimmey Browne called in the evening, the latter to get scoorn in as a Volunteer. Jane and Willie went to the Euchre Party in the evening.
Wednesday 9th It was a beautiful day. I got up early and went down to the “Claymore” and got a parcel of magazines for the Library, I took them up to the Library and labelled them and returned home for breakfast. Jane walked to Ti Point intending to stay at Minnies all night and return by the “Kawau” tomorrow.
Willie and I commenced to break up the piece of ground the far side of the orchard where the fire killed the Pear trees next the fence, the ground is very stiff, we cut all the fern growing near the bottom fence and dug it in.
Thursday 10th There was a very heavy shower of rain between six and seven oclock this morning. Willie took a letter & newspaper down to the Post Office this morning.
Jane returned from Ti Point in the “Kawau“.
Willie and I continued to break up ground the far side of the orchard, in one part the ground was very stiff and hard to dig.
Friday 11th It was a fine day, the wind was blowing very strong from the W. Willie and I continued breaking up the piece of ground the far side of the orchard.
Maggie called in the afternoon and staid tea. Alb Wyatt & Emma called in the evening. I went down to the Post Office, also to the Library.
Saturday 12th It was a fine day. We finished breaking up the piece of ground the far side of the orchard, in the morning. In the afternoon Willie went out in a boat fishing to the Cemetery Point and brought home a few fish. I was working in the flower garden, also started weeding the strawberry bed.
September 13th (he would normally have written Sunday 13th)
It was a fine day. In the morning I went over to Walter Frearsons and had a look round his orchard. Willie walked to Ti Point to spend the day. Jane went down to the beach in the afternoon to enquire after Aunt Jane who has been very ill.
Monday 14th It was a beautiful day. I set 3 Hens with 13 Eggs each that Willie got from Minnie yesterday. I hung up the Ham and Bacon in the kitchen . Willie painted the covering boards, the gutter, and the top of the bay window. Afterwards we were digging in the orchard , we dug round the large Beurre Clairgau, the two small do, & the large Beurre Diel. I took the Eggs down to the Store in the evening.
Tuesday 15th It was fine in the morning. We burnt off the heaps on the piece of ground that we broke up the far side of the orchard, after that we continued digging in the orchard, we had dinner early so as to go down to the steamer, we took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 4 bags of Orchard Manure (5 Cwt) that Mr Harper ordered for me and which came up in the “Claymore” to day. While we were down at the wharf there was a heavy shower of rain and it rained steadily while we were going home.
Wednesday 16th It was inclined to be showery in the morning, we went down to Charlies first thing in the morning and brought up a cow that Charlie let us have for the milking, we had a trouble in getting her inside here, but when we did she seemed very quiet.
I was mending up the orchard fence and Willie was fixing new slip rails up at the stockyard.
In the afternoon I went down to the wharf, the “Kawau” just called in on her way to Auckland, I carried up a bundle of trees that came by the “Kawau” from Morrisons. It rained steadily most part of the afternoon and I got wet. I heard at the Store that old Warin of Warkworth was dead and was to be buried at 2 pm on Thursday.
Thursday 17th It was a fine day. George Wyatt moved his furniture out of the Cottage.
We were mending up the closet down there. Willie walked to Ti Point in the evening to get some butter.
Friday 18th It was a fine day. In the morning George Wyatt came and settled up for the rent of the Cottage , afterwards Mark Noble came to take the oath of allegiance to His Majesty the King. We were digging in the orchard in the morning , we dug round three trees, viz 1 Duchesse D’Angoulim, 1 Beurre Diel & 1 Marachal de Cour. In the afternoon we planted 12 Burbank Plums the far side of the orchard.
Mabel came for tea and Jane went down for the mail with her.
Saturday 19th It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing very strong from the SE. We were digging in the orchard all day, we dug round 4 trees viz, 1 Louise Bonne Pear, 1 Apricot, 1 July Green Gage, 1 E. N. Peach. It took us a long time to dig round the two first named as the ground was so stiff, but after that we got on quicker.
Jane went to spend the afternoon at Mrs Charlie Wyatts.
It came on to rain after dark.
Sunday 20th It poured with rain last night, but it was tolerably fine today. Willie walked to Ti Point to spend the day. I lay in bed until the afternoon as my back was very bad, caused by working in the wind last week.
Monday 21st It was a fine day altho’ misty. My back was still bad and I did not get up until dinner time. Willie was cutting tea tree in the morning, and in the afternoon he was digging in the orchard, he dug round 4 trees, viz one large Apricot, two Five Crown Pippin,
1 Stewarts Seedling. I was pruning trees in the afternoon .
Tuesday 22nd It was a beautiful day, very calm and warm. Willie was digging in the orchard all day, he dug round 2 Apricots and up to the stem of the top Apricot. My back was a little better today, I was pruning in the orchard, and did a little digging.
I took the Eggs down to the store in the afternoon, the “Claymore” had not then arrived, and I heard down there that she would not leave Auckland until five oclock this evening.
There was a Hall Social in the evening, but none of us went.
Wednesday 23rd It was a fine day. Jane went round in the “Claymore” to Ti Point in the morning, I went down to the wharf with her, Henry Brown was sending away Sheep by her, he also went up in her. I called in at the Post Office for the mail.
Willie rode to Matakana in the morning to get some teeth out, but he sent a telegram in the pm saying that he had gone to Warkworth as Mr Richards was away. I was digging in the orchard all day. I dug from the top Apricot up to the fence round one Wager Peach and Romanite and commenced another strip down round the top Late Scarlet. There was a heavy shower in the afternoon which made me knock off for a while.
Albert Wyatt and his bride came up in the “Claymore” last night having just been married in Auckland, they moved their furniture into the Cottage today.
Thursday 24th It was a very fine day, warm and calm. Jane returned from Ti Point in the “Kawau“. I was digging in the orchard all day, I finished digging round the Top Late Scarlet, the 2nd Do Burbank & Early Newington.
Friday 25th It was a beautiful day. I went down to the Post Office in the morning.
I was digging in the orchard all day, I dug round 3 trees, namely Noblesse Peach & 2 Golden Drops. I dissolved 4 Oz bluestone in 4 gallons of water & syringed 2 Golden Drops & 2 Autumn Coptotes to kill the moss on the bark. Willie returned from Warkworth in the afternoon. Jane and Alma went to spend the afternoon at Mrs Archie Dunning and brought the mail up.
Saturday 26th It was a beautiful day. We were digging in the orchard in the morning, we dug round 2 Autumn Compotes. In the afternoon we stuck the 2 rows of Peas down at the Cottage.
Sunday 27th It was a beautiful day. I walked and Willie rode and carried Alma in front of him to Ti Point. We had dinner at Joes and afterwards he took us to Kohikohi gully and from there down to Punga Creek, Joe & Willie went back again, but I called at Mr Boyds and he took me round his orchard , I arrived home about 5.15. Jane went to Bible Class and spent the day at Charlie Wyatts.
Monday 28th It was a beautiful day, very calm and hot. I planted some Kumeras for shoots that Joe Torkington gave me, I also sowed some Early York Cabbage, Cauliflower & Tomato Seed. We commenced digging round the young Peach Trees below the house and we sowed 2 rows White Stone Turnips . Messrs E. Morrison, A. Hood & J. Dunning called in the afternoon & staid for tea.
Tuesday 29th In the morning Willie & I went down and mended the fence between the Matheson’s paddock and our place as the sheep are getting in. It came on a misty rain while we were down there and had to change our clothes. We had an early lunch and then went down to the wharf to meet the Steamer. The “Claymore” brought up 2 sacks Maize & 2 woolpacks for us. It continued raining most of the afternoon & evening.
Wednesday 30th It rained all last night, but was fine this morning, it was too wet to dig. We dug up all the Pasplum Radiatum plants that were self sown in the orchard and replanted them out in the front.
Willie went down in the afternoon to get the mail that came in the “Kawau“.