September 1920

Wednesday 1st   It was a beautiful day.  Grace was collecting her things together at the old home.  I planted a 2nd row of Sutton Peas, also beds of Cabbage, Onion,  Trophy Tomato, Zinnia, French & African Marigold.  I went down to the steamer in the afternoon.

Thursday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  Grace & Raymond returned to Auckland in the “Kawau” at 10.30 this morning, they took all the furniture with them.  After the steamer was gone I went round to Gozars to get some flax.
In the afternoon I set out a row whire.   [sic: wire]  I intend to plant 10 Tomato Plants and I commenced to dig the dig the ground.
Jim Wyatt drilled in the Oats in our old paddock the opposite side of the road.

Friday 3rd   Jim boarded in the Oats he drilled yesterday.  Eddie went to Matakana to drill the Territorials.  I finished digging the piece of ground intended for Tomatoes.
The “Kawau” arrived this evening bringing Mr Grigg and family (the new Teacher).

Saturday   It was a fine day,  this is the 6th day we have had fine.
Eddie & Jim carted the new Teacher’s furniture from the wharf up to the school house.  In the morning I took some flowers down to the Church, called at Gravatts & A. L. Greenwoods.  In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden.

Sunday 5th   There were a few showers in the pm, otherwise it was a fine day, wind S.
Mr & Mrs J. C. Wyatt came for dinner.  I conducted service in the Church in the pm, there were 17 present.  Collection 5/6.
On Wednesday 8th  Mrs Harper gave me 2/6 towards the collection on Sunday.

From Monday 6th to Friday 10th   The weather was very fine.  I was working at my old garden, digging amongst the flowers and clearing away rubbish.  Eddie was working at the quarry, and Jim was drilling Oats and wheat for Arthur Greenwood, Joe Torkington  &  A. Morley.
On Wednesday I received the garden Seeds from Pilkington, my prize from the Show and on Friday 10th I sowed Carters Early Sunrise Tomato.  Agnes brought me over some Tomato plants,  a new variety.

Saturday 11th   It rained heavily in the morning , but it cleared up and was fine in the afternoon.  I went down to get the mail, I received a letter from my brother Henry who lives at Sydenham near London, he is now in his 80th year.  I planted 10 Tomatoes that Minnie sent me.  The boys commenced to break up the piece of ground above where the Oats are sown.

Sunday 12th   The weather did not look too good in the morning. Revd Hawksworth held a communion service at 11 am, there were about 35 present, 4 took communion. Collection 16/4.  There was a shower while we were in church.  Eddie, Ivy & I went to Mr A. Dunnings for dinner & tea and spent a very pleasant time.

Monday 13th   It rained all morning.  The boys were ploughing the new piece of ground above the Oats, but had to knock off and cut tea tree.  I went up to the garden in the pm & weeded the walks & dug a little.

Tuesday 14th    Showery day.

Wednesday 15th   It was misty in the morning, but turned out a fine day.  Jim went to Pakiri to get some cattle they have sold,  in the pm he was ploughing.  Eddie was not very well and did odd jobs at home.
In the morning I cleaned out the office and put the couch from the kitchen into the office.  In the pm I pruned the citron tree and cut grass on the paths.

Thursday 16th   Alfred Dunning‘s  21st birthday.  It was a beautiful day.  Jim continued ploughing.  I was working up at the garden digging and cutting grass on the paths.

Friday 17th   It was a fine day.  I was digging the flower borders and clearing away rubbish.

Saturday 18th   It was a fine day  Wind SW.    Mr Turtley commenced carting cream from Pakiri.  Jim was ploughing above the Oats in the morning, and in the orchard in the pm.  I finished digging down to the summer house taking all the Dahlia roots up.

Sunday 19th   It was a fine day  I attended the presbyterian service (Mr Poole) in the morning.  In the afternoon I called at Arthur Greenwoods, changed my Library book.

Monday 20th   There was a shower during the night, but it was fine today.  After breakfast Arthur Greenwood & I put in the pane of glass in the Church window, the remainder of the morning I dug out the Single Dahlias.  In the afternoon I dug up the long bed.

Tuesday 21st   It rained all morning and showery in the afternoon .  I was in the house all day,  I wrote a long letter to my son Jack.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a showery day.  In the morning I went up to the garden, I dug the Parsnips out and pared a lot of weeds.
In the afternoon I went down to the steamer, she made a round trip.
I posted a letter to Jack and also received a long letter from Jack.
Eddie & Ivy drove over to Charlina’s place in the evening.

Thursday 23rd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I was working in my garden & part of the pm I was helping the boys to cut tea tree.

Friday 24th   It was a very fine day.  Eddie was training the territorials, Jim was ploughing.  I started to dig the piece of ground between the Swede Turnips and the Silver Beet.  I put in the trenches a lot of weeds & rubbish I had taken from other parts of the garden.

Saturday 25th   It was a showery day, heavy rain last night, ground too wet to continue digging.  The boys were cutting tea tree on the farm.  In the afternoon I bundled 1000 Onion plants for Mrs Holder.
Eddie drove over to the Claim in the evening so he took them over and staid the night so Jim & I were left on our own, we played cribbage in the evening.

Sunday 26th   It was fine when we got up, but it turned out a very showery day.  I went to call at Gravatts in the afternoon.  Eddie & Ivy returned from the Claim.

Monday 27th   With the exception of a shower in the morning it was a fine day, but the ground was too wet for digging .  I got some flax from the cottage & some tall pea sticks & put each side of the Sweet Peas and tied the peas up.
Eddie & Jim went to their land at Pakiri and brought home some cows, one of them had calved.  In the pm Jim was ploughing & Eddie made an axe handle.

Tuesday 28th   It was a very fine day.  Eddie went down to help his father put the top on the concrete tank.  Jim was ploughing.
I finished digging the piece of ground I started last Friday , I have been delayed through the weather.  I loosened the ground each side of the Peas.

Wednesday 29th   It was fine in the morning, started to rain at 4 pm. Jim finished ploughing above the Oats,  Eddie took the Eggs down to the wharf, & brought up 2 bags of sand for me,  I sowed a lot of flower seeds in boxes & 2 clumps in the border, also Cabbage and Tomato seeds.

Thursday 30th   It rained last night and showers today.  I signed the Conveyance of the farm from self to J. C. E. Wyatt & sent it and the Deeds to Mr Elliott the Solicitor.   I was up at the garden and took up 500 Onion plants for Jim Dunning.