September 1918

Sunday 1st   It rained a little early in the morning, but it cleared up and was a fine day, but it seems as if we were going to have a change as the wind is in the E.
Willie, Grace, Raymond and Mrs Simpson went to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe & Minnie.  Mrs Simpson staid over at Harolds.
Revd Orchard held service in the Hall in the pm, he preached a very good sermon.  I attended.

Monday 2nd   It rained during the night and things were a bit damp this morning.  Willie found that the cow Blossom had a difficulty in calving and the calf was dead and the cow in a very weak state so he took scalded bran & grass to feed her with.  The ground was too wet the top side of the house to dig, so I was weeding and clearing up in the flower garden.

Tuesday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, called in at Mrs Hadwich to enquire after her as she is in a very low state, called at the Library to change my books, when I got home I found Dolly and Dora Greenwood had come to spend the day,  Willie was digging in the new garden,  I was digging and cleaning up in the flower garden & I showed the girls round.

Wednesday 4th   It was a beautiful day.  After breakfast I went down to the beach and sieved sand and carried it to the wharf , and Willie carted it up for me when he took the eggs down in the afternoon.
I was working in the flower garden.  There was a meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society in the evening,  Willie & Grace went, the subject debated was ‘Are we too fond of sport?’  It was decided in the negative.

Thursday 5th   It was a fine day, wind N.  Willie was digging in the new garden.  I was digging and clearing up in flower garden.  In the evening I went down for the mail.

Friday 6th   It was a showery day.  I was suffering from a bad cold and therefore I did not do much outside.
In the afternoon it came on to rain heavier.  Willie and Grace were recovering the couch in the kitchen with        [rest of entry blank]

Saturday 7th   It was a fine day, but the ground was very wet after the rain yesterday.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post a letter to Mr Glass,  to put flowers in the church,  also went to Gravatts,  the “Kawau” called in here at 4 oclock this morning on her way to Mangawai,  Willie Greenwood came up on his final leave,  the steamer called back here again at 11.30 and Bert Darroch who was home on his final leave went away by her.
Mrs Eddie Wyatt came in the afternoon and Eddie came in the evening.

Sunday 8th   It was a dull day, wind blowing strong from the E, and threatening for rain.  I conducted service in the church in the afternoon, there were 19 present.  Collection 7/- .
Heard that Herbert Dyer had passed out at Noon  [?]  to day.

Monday 9th   It was a dull day, misty rain and the wind SE.
Ernie Pratt called in the morning to ask me to read the funeral service over Herbert Dyer who is to be buried at Pakiri tomorrow at 2.30 .

Tuesday 10th   It turned out a fine day.  Mr Ranham brought a sulky over to take me to Pakiri to conduct the funeral over Herbert Dyer, I had lunch at Mr Ranhams and then called at Joe Harpers,  Mrs H  & I walked down to Harry Dyers place, both Mr & Mrs Dyer feel their loss very much,  there were a good many at the funeral.
I went up with the John Greenwoods who were driving to their place and staid the night,  Bowden Birdsall also staid the night.

Wednesday 11th   It was a fine day.  John Greenwood drove me down in the pm, he staid at Handby’s old place to tail the Lambs,  I walked across Willie Dunning‘s place home, and afterwards went down to the steamer.

Thursday 12th   It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers.  The ladies entertained Mrs James Greenwood who with her husband are leaving the district,  it took the form of a morning tea laid on the stage the ladies provided most bountifully, and the table was nicely decorated with flowers.  On behalf of the company I expressed the sorrow of all present at their leaving and asked their acceptance of a silver mounted biscuit barrel.
Grace went down to the village in the afternoon and got the overland mail.

Friday 13th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I planted the following plants,  1 Penstemon1 Begonia1 Pelargonium3 Canditufts also 5 bulbs Gladiolus.
Mrs Hadwick who died yesterday morning was buried in the claim cemetery along side of her late husband at 3 pm.  Charlie Wyatt drove the coffin over in Willie Dunning‘s waggon.  I took a wreath down for Charlie to take over as I was not going to the funeral, but I tolled the Church bell.
There was a farewell in the Hall in the evening to Private Wm Greenwood,  second son of Mr John Greenwood,   Lieut  E. Wyatt  (Eddie)  &  wife  and Private Frank Whaylen were also present.  Grace went.

Saturday 14th   It was a fine day.
Mrs Ashworth came in the morning and staid lunch, all of us went down to the wharf in the afternoon to say goodbye to Mrs James Greenwood who is leaving the district, her husband having already left, also Lieut  E. Wyatt & wife who are returning to Wellington and will shortly leave NZ

Sunday 15th   It was a very fine day.  The 23rd Anniversary was held of the Omaha Bible Class in the morning,  Mrs Woodcock sang a solo, Grace & I attended.
In the afternoon I conducted service in the Church,  23 attended
Collection 8/- .  The Dead March was played out of respect to the memory of Mrs Hadwick.

Monday 16th   It was a very fine day.  I sowed a row of Stratagem Peas the top side of the house,  got some pea sticks from the barley paddock.  Willie was ploughing in the orchard.  Grace went for the mail in the pm.

Tuesday 17th   It was fine in the morning, ‘tho threatening as the wind is NE.   In the morning I went down to the P. O to get a Postal Note,  went to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it to the wharf.   In the pm I stuck the Sweet Peas, it came on to rain about 2 pm  and continued all afternoon & evening.

Wednesday 18th   It was a fine day, the wind has changed round to the SW and is drying up the ground,  I got more pea sticks from the barley paddock and finished sticking the Sweet Peas.  All of us went down to meet the steamer in the afternoon,  Willie took his butter and eggs down in the sulky.  Ernie Greenwood & his bride returned from their honeymoon.  Dave Glass also came bringing a prospective purchaser for his farm, they went up in the sulky to see it.  Dave had tea here.  There was a meeting of the Farmers Union in the evening, Mr Cooper the organizer was present.  None of us went.

Thursday 19th   It was a very fine day, but very cold in the morning as the wind was S.  Willie was ploughing in the orchard.
I pricked out in shallow boxes Pansy & Stock plants, also planted out in a border 7 Pansies & 3 Stocks.  I went down for the mail in the evening.

Friday 20th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was ploughing in the orchard.  I dug up the border next the wire netting fence,  I sowed a row of Dun Beans, also sowed seed of St John’s Day Cabbage & planted out 3 Candituft plants.   Spent the evening at Mr Archie Dunnings playing cards,  Willie Dunning was there.

Saturday 21st   It was a fine day, but dull and cold.  Willie was ploughing in the orchard,  I was working in the garden, dug round the sweet peas, cut all the grass and weeds the top side of the house, got firewood.
In the evening I went to a meeting of the Ratepayers Association.

Sunday 22nd   It was fine in the morning, but there was a cold wind blowing,  in the pm came over dull.
Revd Gould held service in the Hall in the morning, I attended.

Monday 23rd   It was fine in the morning ‘tho dull and threatening.
I went down to the barley paddock & cut & brought home some pea sticks, firewood and kindling wood.
Willie was ploughing in the orchard .  It came on to rain in the afternoon,  I made two shallow boxes to sow seeds in.
Mrs Simpson went down to A. Dunnings & staid the night.

Tuesday 24th   It was a fine day after the rain.  Mrs Simpson came home, she brought the mail.  I got the seeds from W.  Abraham of Parnell and sowed in shallow boxes the following.  Dwarf AntirrhinumMiniture SulaflowerPeaony  &  Collorette Dahlia10 Week StockPhlox DrummondiEarly AsterCentauria ImperalisVerbana,  Also Early Drumhead Cabbage.  And planted out near the summer house 8 Pansies9 Canditufts

Wednesday 25th   It was fine in the morning,  I planted out 8 Canditufts near the Azalia tree also dug up again the long bed.
It came on to rain in the afternoon, I went down to the steamer and got the mail.  Willie finished ploughing between the trees in the orchard.

Thursday 26th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from the S.  In the morning I went down to the barley paddock & cut pea and bean sticks, and carried them & firewood home.
In the afternoon I was digging the piece of ground below the arch.  In the evening I went down for the mail, Willie took the butter & eggs down to the wharf in the morning and brought up 3 bags of sand for me, in the afternoon he was ploughing in the new garden.

Friday 27th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing cold & strong from S.  Willie was ploughing in the new garden.  I dug up the piece of ground round the rubbish heap.

Saturday 28th   It was a fine day, but rather dull in the afternoon, I went down for the mail in the morning, called in at Mr A. Dunnings to see the war news.  Nell Davey sent me some carnation slips which I planted in the farm orchard in the afternoon,  I sowed a row of Canadian Wonder beans the top side of house.  Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson drove down to Goat Island beach in the afternoon.

Sunday 29th   It was a fine day ‘tho dull, wind blowing strong from N.
In the morning I walked over to Jim’s place, arrived there just before dinner,  Joe & Alma Torkington came in the afternoon & staid tea.

Monday 30th   It was a fine day, ‘tho dull,  wind still blowing strong from N.  After breakfast I walked to R. Williams place, found they had a sick house, staid for dinner and had a look round Mrs Williams flower plants , she gave me some small plants to bring home.  On my way back to Jims I called up at W. Darroch’s had afternoon tea there, met Mrs Wilma Knaggs  & Mrs B. Birdsall there, returned to Jim’s and staid the night.