September 1921

Thursday 1st   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and went up to the garden and picked flowers for the wedding, went down to the village & decorated the Church, made a wedding bell which was hung over where the bridal couple stood.  The ceremony took place soon after 1.30 pm the contracting parties being, Angus Roderick Dunning and Dorothy Elizabeth Greenwood, Miss Winnie Whitaker and Miss Ethel Greenwood were the bridesmaids & Mr John Greenwood Junr was best man.   Revd J. C. Hawksworth  the Vicar was the officiating clergyman.  Mr & Mrs John Greenwood entertained over 80 guests mostly connections to a wedding breakfast in the Hall, the tables were decorated with daffodils & violets and in the centre a beautiful three decker  brides cake and loaded with all kinds tasty things.  The usual patriotic and other toasts were proposed & responded to.  The happy couple proceeded to their future home at Big Omaha, Mr Dunning having taken over the farm of the late Mr Edgar Meiklejohn.

Friday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  Eddie, Ivy & children returned to Pakiri to finish the fencing there.
I was working in the garden all day.  I planted out 2 rows of Onions 108 plants.  I have now 209 plants of Onions planted.

Saturday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, went into the Church and took down the floral bell and other decorations put there for the wedding,  also went into the Library and showed Mr Hunt the books.  In the afternoon I went up to the garden & sowed seeds of Tomatoes and dug the strip between the Onions & Cabbages.

Sunday 4th   It was a very fine day.  Revd  Hawkesworth held service in the Church in the afternoon, there were 27 present, Collection 14/3.  Jim drove Jane & Minnie over to church, they brought a box of Daffodils sent by Mr A. J. Shepherd,  I exhibited them to the congregation after the service and distributed them among the ladies,  I think they are the finest blooms I have ever seen.

Monday 5th   It was a very fine day.  I was working in the garden all day,  I took up and packed 400 Onion plants for Jim Dunning. Watered the peas that are just coming up , also the cabbages & onions.  Dug out a trench and put manure in it and covered it up ready for sowing Sweet Peas,  commenced cutting grass on the path near the front gate.  Late in the afternoon I went down to the beach carried 2 bags of sand across to the wharf for Jim to cart up tomorrow.  Had a cup of tea at Mr Gozars and then went to the steamer that had just come in , so I got the mail, received a letter from Mr A. J. Shepherd.

Tuesday 6th   It was a very fine day, but very windy.  I went to Matakana in the cream cart to consult Dr Whitter about my eczema which is spreading on my body, he says he is not sure that he can cure it, but he can relieve it.  I had dinner with Mrs Sinclairs, and had a long chat with Mr Richards & Mr John Came.   Stopped at Jims place on my way back.

Wednesday 7th   It was a very fine day.  I walked home in the morning, found Jim ploughing in the barley paddock and Alf Dunning was working, taking out the stumps.  I went up to the garden in the afternoon & sowed a row of Sweet Peas.

Thursday 8th   I was working up in the garden.  I was digging the piece of ground between the cabbages & the sweet peas.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.  I wrote a letter to Willie, also to
Mr Shepherd.

Friday 9th   It was a very fine day.   Rain is very much needed, as the ground is very dry, and the seeds can’t come up for the want of moisture.  I was working in the garden , cutting grass on the paths & doing other odd jobs.  I attended the choir practice in the evening.

Saturday 10th   It was a very fine day.  I was working in the garden all day.  Mr Hunt came up in the morning for me to witness his signature.
Eddie, Ivy &  children came from Pakiri in the afternoon.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day.  It came over cloudy, but there was no rain, ‘tho very much wanted.  I held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  There was a good congregation 32.  Collection 12/6.
After church there was a choir practice in the hall practicing for next Sunday evening.

Monday 12th   It was a fine day, no sign of rain.  Eddie returned to Pakiri to help his father finish the fence, Ivy staid here.
In the morning I took up 500 Onion plants for Alf Dunning to take home to his father.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock and Alf Dunning was taking out stumps.  In the afternoon I was digging a flower border.

Tuesday 13th   It was a fine day.  It came over cloudy in the morning, but there was no rain.  In the morning I was digging the flower border near the front gate.  In the pm I wrote a letter to Mr Grindrod and posted it,  afterwards I went to see Arthur Greenwood who returned from Auckland by the “Kawau” last night.

Wednesday 14th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I took a letter addressed to Dr Whetter down to the village to give to Gus Neeley to post at Matakana.  The remainder of the day I was working up in the garden, I was digging the border from the front gate to the citron tree.

Thursday 15th   It was a fine day.  I was working in the garden, digging & cleaning near the citron tree.
There was a choir practice in the evening.

Friday 16th   It was a fine day, but the rain seems to be getting nearer.  I took out and bundled up 700 Onion plants for Alec Matheson .  Went on digging and cleaning the flower borders.
Went down for the mail in the evening.
Dr Whetter sent me some more ointment for my legs.  I received a letter from Mr Grindrod.  It commenced to rain in the evening.

Saturday 17th   It rained a lot last night, but it was fine today.  The rain has done a lot of good in my garden, but has made very little impression on ploughed ground.  I was up working in my garden morning & afternoon.  Mr & Mrs Grigg called in the evening to bring me the programme of the service tomorrow night.

Sunday 18th   There were a few showers during the day.  Revd Poole held service in the Hall in the morning.  I attended, the newly formed choir sang for the first time.  The Choral Service was in the Hall in the evening, I presided and the various items were well rendered and there was a very fair congregation considering the showery state of the weather.  The collection was £2 . 5 . 0 .

Monday 19th   It threatened for rain first thing in the morning.  I went up to the garden, but I only had time to hunt the slugs when it came on a slight rain,  I pruned a few apple trees and then came home.  I went down for the mail that came by the “Kawau” in the late afternoon.  Joe Torkington brought me some Cauliflower plants.
It rained in the evening.

Tuesday 20th   It thundered & Lightened and poured with rain last night,  but it was fine today, blew very strong from W in the afternoon.  I went up to the garden both morning & afternoon, in the morning it was too wet to do anything to the ground, so after killing a quantity of slugs I dug and manured around some young Keifer pear trees.  In the afternoon I planted 22 Cauliflower plants that Minnie sent me, and then I dug round some more young pear trees.

Wednesday 21st   It was fine in the morning.  I went up to the garden, hunted slugs and did a little work.  Mrs Holder & Charlina were here for dinner,  Jane came over with them, but she staid at Arthur Greenwoods so I did not see her.  There was a drizzling rain all afternoon so I did not go out.  In the evening I received by the mail a Cheque for £9 . 10 . 0 for Interest from Elliott & Holden, Solicitors.

Thursday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  I was working up in my garden all day clearing up and digging the borders,  Jim was poughing in the barley paddock.  Eddie carted some cement to Peter Kuku. [?]

Friday 23rd   It was fine & calm in the morning.  I went up to the garden & was working,  I took out 200 Onion plants for Eddie to plant this afternoon, but it came on to rain after dinner so Eddie was not able to plant them.  I went down for the mail before tea and just as I got back it poured with rain.

Saturday 24th   It poured with rain last night, so the ground was very wet this morning, it turned out a very fine warm day.  I went up to the garden both morning & afternoon, in the morning the ground in the garden was so wet that I could do nothing to the ground so after hunting for slugs, I was digging round trees in the orchard.  In the afternoon I finished the digging in the orchard & then did some weeding in the flower borders.

Sunday 25th   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went up to the garden to hunt slugs.  Revd Richards held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  I attended, there was a fair congregation.  After church I went to see Arthur Greenwood, met Mr & Mrs John Greenwood coming away from there & Mr & Mrs H. Greenwood and family were there.

Monday 26th      It was a very fine day.  I was working up in the garden morning and afternoon.  I dug up the long bed, also the border next the pig sty, and started the diamond bed.  The Annual Tennis meeting was held in the evening, Eddie & Jim went.

Tuesday 27th   It was a very fine day.  The chickens were hatched in the incubator, a very poor per centage came out only 270 out of 500 Eggs,  Jim put them in the brooders.  After breakfast I went up to the garden and hunted the slugs, afterwards I went down to the village to lodge £4 . 5 . 0 in the P. O Savings Bank, to get the mail, I returned home & read the papers until dinner time.  I went up to the garden after dinner and finished digging the diamond bed and commenced digging the border next the wire netting fence.

Wednesday 28th   It was a very fine day.  I finished cleaning and digging the border next the wire netting fence.

Thursday 29th   It was a very fine day.  I was working in the garden all day.  I planted 19  young Pansy plants in the long bed.  Mr & Mrs Stewart came to see my garden in the afternoon.  In the evening there was a meeting of the Library committee  at Mr Arther Greenwood’s residence.

Friday 30th   It was a very fine day.  Lennie was seriously scalded by falling over a kettle of boiling water.  Dr Whetter was telephoned for, & he arrived here about noon,  after attending Lennie he dined here.  I sent Jim D.  200 Onion plants by Gus Neeley.  I went for the mail in the evening.  Dr Whetter sent me some ointment.