September 1914

Tuesday 1st   It was a fine day, and more sunshine than we have had the last few days.
Grace & Mrs Simpson went up to Mrs Handbys to spend the day. After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, carried up some sand.  When I came home I was working in the flower garden, I replanted a Verbena & a Scabious.  Also took up and replanted a clump of Gladioli.

Wednesday 2nd   It was a fine day, the wind was blowing strong from the SW. I was digging in the front garden. Went down to the village in the afternoon. Willie also took the horse down expecting that the “Kawau” was going to leave AK at 11.30 this morning,  instead of that she was to leave at 11.30 to night. Willie hauled up the remainder of my lime.

Thursday 3rd   It was a fine day and the wind was not blowing quite so strong as yesterday. The “Kawau” left here at 7.30 this morning,
I went down to see if Willie’s goods had come, so Willie took the horse down to the wharf after breakfast to haul them up, I also went down and got some sand and Willie brought it up. The remainder of the day I was digging, I finished digging the border down to the summer house, and took out the Dahlia roots.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 4th   It was a fine day, but a very cold wind blowing from SW.
I finished digging the piece of ground between the Lemon trees in the front garden, planted out a Nicotiana.  Went down to the Steamer in the pm for the mail.  Carried up some sand.

Saturday 5th   It was a fine day, but very windy from SW,  supposed to be the equinoctials.  I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  Willie was digging in the pigs paddock.

Sunday 6th   It was a fine day, but windy. In the morning I walked to Ti Point calling at Mrs Ashworths to show her some Daffodils I was taking to Minnie, also called at Mrs Lloyd’s to show them the Daffodils.  Had dinner at Joe’s, Minnie gave me some Pansy & other plants to bring home.  Mr W. J. Moore (Local Methodist) held service in the Hall in the afternoon,  but none of us went.  Flo was here for tea.

Monday 7th   It was a fine day and not quite so windy in the morning as yesterday. In the morning I planted a Wall flower that Nelly Lloyd gave me, also planted in a box Pansies, Guillardias & one of two Antirrhinum that Minnie gave me.  Also planted over 30 Cabbage plants.  In the pm was helping Willie plant Potatoes in the pig’s paddock.

Tuesday 8th   It was a very fine day. Wind not quite so strong, rain badly wanted.  In the morning I sowed the following seeds in a box Nemesia,  Aster Quilled German & Stock, Ten-weak fine mixed. Afterwards went down to the wharf, Mr Glass was going up to Auckland & I sent my boots up by him to be repaired, took him some violets & daffodils.  In the afternoon I was helping Willie plant Potatoes between the apple trees in pig’s paddock.

Wednesday 9th   It was a very fine day and calm. I sowed seeds in the border of Blue Larkspur, transplanted 3 young Godetia seedlings, sowed in boxes seeds of Hunimannia, Yellow & Pink Antirrhinum & 4 varieties Wallflower & Scarlet Alonsoa.
In the afternoon went down to the steamer to get the mail, carried up a bag of sand.  Dick Knaggs was leaving the “Kawau” to day and Jock McKinnon came on in his place as mate.

Thursday 10th   It was a very fine day, still very dry, rain wanted badly.
After breakfast I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and carried it across to the wharf.  Willie took two boxes of eggs down and he hauled my sand home.
I was working in the flower garden and I helped Willie plant Potatoes.
Grace & Mrs Simpson spent the day at Ti Point.  In the evening I went for mail & attended Library.

Friday 11th   A fine day still very dry. In the morning I planted 6 Stock & 6 Caliopsis that came from Ti Point.
In the afternoon I helped Willie finish plant Potatoes in the garden where the vines once grew.  Joe Torkington was here for tea, afterward I went down to the wharf to meet the steamer, it was the “Kotiti”. Captn  gave me a daily paper.

Saturday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was digging in the Oats in the pig’s paddock next to where we planted Potatoes.  In the morning I was getting firewood and breaking down the lumps in the border the upper side of the wire netting coil fence.
In the afternoon I walked over to the Claim and staid the night at Jim’s.

Sunday 13th   It was a very hot day. Revd Macdonald held service in the Claim Hall in the morning, Jane & I attended. I returned to Jim’s after church for dinner and in the afternoon I walked home and in the evening Revd Macdonald held service in this Hall in the evening, all of us attended, there was a good congregation. Collection 10/6.

Monday 14th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and got my breakfast and walked up to Charlie Dunnings and he gave me a ride in the cream cart as far as Robert Williams at Big Omaha.  Bob showed me round the orchards and Mrs Williams showed me the flowers. I had lunch there and met Charlie on his return and he brought me back as far as his place.  I reached home at 2pm.  After I returned home I planted a plant that Mrs Williams gave me, also cuttings of a dark red antirrhinum and also a plant of Alonsoa.
Grace & Mrs Simpson went to see Miss C. A. Matheson in the afternoon.  Willie went down to the village in the evening to meet the steamer & to hear the war news. Mr Glass came up by the steamer and came up here with Willie & staid the night.

Tuesday 15th   It was a very hot day. Willie was digging in Oats in the pigs paddock on the upper side of the potatoes. I got firewood and was working in the flower garden. I dug up and broke the lumps in the long bed.

Wednesday 16th   It was a very hot day.  I planted out a Fuschia and then went over to the farm orchard to prepare the ground for planting peas.  In the afternoon I went down to the wharf carried some sand over & Willie brought it up for me.
The Steamer made a round Trip to day.

Thursday 17th   It was a very fine day. Willie was digging round the Diamond Plum trees.  I was digging in the farm orchard. I planted 1 Row of Stratagem Peas.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library, while I was in the Library there was a heavy shower.

Friday 18th   It was a very fine day. I was working in the farm orchard.  I planted another row of Stratagem Peas and a row of White Stone Turnip.  In the afternoon I went down to the village when the Steamer came in, I got the mail and carried up a bag of sand.

Saturday 19th   It was a very fine day. I went down to the store in the morning, carried up some sand. I planted a row of White Schalottes in the farm orchard.
In the afternoon I planted out 3 Mauve Cornflowers.
Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning, Ivy & Irene came to spend the evening.

Sunday 20th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I walked up to Jno Greenwoods to spend the day.  Mr & Mrs Wm Dunning had also driven up to spend the day there, they gave me a ride home in their waggon.

Monday 21st    It was a fine day.  Willie’s cow “Gipsy“ calved this morning.  Things with her were not quite regular so he had to get Charlie Wyatt to help him.
In the morning I planted 3 Dimorphothecas also 2 Double Pink Godetias.
There was a heavy shower of rain at 5 pm but it did not last long enough to do much good.
Willie went down for the mail in the evening.

Tuesday 22nd    It was a fine day ‘tho dull wind blowing strong from the E.
After breakfast I went down to the Post Office to send away a P. O. O  to Wildman & Airy for £7 . 0 . 9 & one to Bridgman for £1 . 8 . 6 .
I planted 3 White Cornflowers,  3 Dimorphothecas & 2 Double Pink Godetias.
Willie was digging between the trees in this garden.

Wednesday 23rd   It rained last night and nearly all to day.  The wind was also blowing very strong from NE.  Willie went down to the wharf in the afternoon but the “Kawau” did not come on account of the weather.  I was in bed most of the day with a cold on my lungs and did not get up until the evening.  Mr Glass was here for dinner.

Thursday 24th   It rained nearly all last night, the rain has sunk deeply into the ground.  It did not rain today, but was very dull.
Willie took his Eggs down to the wharf. The “Kawau” which was sheltering at Kawau last night came in this morning and return to AK immediately.
Willie got the mail & attended the Library in the evening for me.

Friday 25th   It was a very fine day, the wind has got round to the N.
Willie took up some of the Rhubarb and re-planted it, he then beat down the ground he intends for Onions.
I was working in the flower garden.  I planted 14 roots of Lobelia near the front steps also took up & replanted a Calliopsis & sowed seeds of Dwarf Aster, & cut all the grass on the path.

Saturday 26th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up 2 bags of manure, a box of groceries and a bag of sand for me that I sieved and brought round to the wharf yesterday. In the morning also Grace & Mrs Simpson went to Mr Glass’ to spend the day and Mrs S stayed with Mrs G to help her.
In the afternoon I was helping Willie plant Onion plants that Mr Wallace sent.  There was a football match at the Claim between Mangawai and Omaha in the afternoon, Omaha won. There was a dance in this Hall in the evening, but none of us went.

Sunday 27th   It was a fine day wind blowing strong from SW.
Mr                  (Presbyterian)  held service in this Hall both morning & evening, but none of us went, as I was feeling very giddy. In the pm I took a walk up to Jas Greenwoods and staid tea.

Monday 28th   It was a beautiful calm day, with a few slight showers. I took castor oil in the morning to see if it would cure my giddiness.
I got firewood and helped Willie plant Onions, there are 530 planted.   Afterwards Willie planted 115 Schalottes.   After helping Willie plant onions I planted a Pelargonium and 3 Dimorphothecas.
Jim called in the pm to see how I was.

Tuesday 29th   It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went to Mrs Dunning Senr to witness her signature, carried home a bag of sand from their beach.
After I returned home I was helping Willie dig between the Strawberries, after dinner I planted what I thought a Cornflower but I am afraid it is a pale blue Forgetmenot.  Afterward I helped Willie finish digging between the Strawberries.

Wednesday 30th    It was a beautiful day.  Grace spent the day at Mrs Glass’.  After breakfast I went down to the beach, sieved a lot of sand and carried it across to the wharf.
Willie took the Eggs down to the wharf in the afternoon and he hauled my sand home.  I also went down to the wharf when the steamer came in, she made a round trip to day.