1914

This year has been the beginning of a new era for Harry Elmar Johnson. He built his house, besides running his market garden. He pulled down his hut and had some tough excavating to do to have the foundation suitable to build his house on. He started on 2-2-1914 to build his house with the aid of a man named Russell. Russell left the job on 16th. March. He went to A.S. Thomsons Sale and bought several pieces of furniture. Cecil and Eddie made a tank for him. Brother Cecil also made the washing tub. George Ward and Cecil finished the plumbing on the house. At 5.30 on 13-5-1914 Harry Elmar married Lily Newman. They had no honeymoon. He continued to still do more to his house for the rest of the year. It was built to a livable stage in time for the wedding. War broke out in Europe 5-8-1914. Cecil left Rockhampton for camp on 29-9-1914. The day after war was declared things were pretty bad at Mt. Morgan as a lot of hands were paid off because of war. Arthur had a shop at Mt.Morgan and found sales stopped on selling fruit and vegetables because so many were paid off. In September Tom was irrigating Lucerne on his farm. Arthur also had irrigation. 16-11-1914 Arthur first started ploughing with a motorised plough. Harry Elmar Johnson built a fowl pen, stable and a paddock on his own land. Charlie Lee gave him two framed pictures for a wedding gift.

20-1-: I arose between 4 and 5 and went to town with Cecil and 47 doz pines, after I got home I sent 10 doz to Arthur.

21-1-: I dug between the bananas and hoed some pumpkins. Besides gathering 44 doz pines and 4 lbs of tomatoes.
22-1-: We went to town with pines, we were short again. Didn t get round our run. It came to rain quite sharply while we were in town. It is the most peculiar weather I have known for this time of year.
23-1-: I finished hoeing pumpkins and dug between a couple of short rows of pines, also ploughed among the young ones, a lot of which are dying out. I picked 18 dozen for tomorrow.
24-1-: Went to town with Cecil and 30 dozen pines, we got on very well and made a better average price than we had done the last two times. After tea I went to town on bike and saw a chap about carting the timber. It is blowing like rain.
25-1-: Lily came out on her bike. I had to take her back. We had a rough trip home.
26-1-: I picked 50 dozen pines and did a little hoeing also I went to the top of the hill and cleaned those on top a bit. The weather is very unsettled I think we will get a lot of rain shortly.
27-1-: Hawked pines, we had 54 dozen on and were short. They made a little over 2/- per dozen average little and big. Erzberry brought out my house blocks.
28-1-: I cased 10 dozen pines for Arthur and Tom took them to the station for me. After that I picked 50 dozen for town and did some weeding. Cecil took Mother to Nem Beals wedding. It was threatening for rain all day, but practically none fell.
29-1-: Cecil and George took my pines to town and did not have quite as good a day as we have been having. I rode the bike to town, only went to the bank and had a yarn to the manager. Russell came and saw me re making a start.
30-1-: I slept at the farm last night and Ted lent me his horse and cart so as I could get a load of timber for Russell to get a start. I brought out most of the plates. It is blowing very rough just at time of writing.
31-1-: I started pulling the hut down. Cecil took 14 dozen pines in for me. The weather is very unsettled, one doesn t know whether to expect rain or fine. Beals brought Laura home and took Mother back with them.
1-2--: Went to church and over to Newmans from the service. My bike went flat and I had to walk a slice of the way home.
2-2--: I picked some tomatoes and nearly 60 dozen pines. Helped Russell a little and started pulling down the hut. Just as I was having tea a chap came with a team and about 18,000 ft. of timber. Very crook in my inside.
3-2--: I cased 16 dozen pines for Tom to take to the station for Arthur and helped Russell. The weather is very threatening for rain but passes off every time. Cecil and his man took in 51 dozen pines for me.
4-2--: I picked 21 dozen pines for Cecil to take to town and worked with Russell. We put in 4 blocks and marked out several more holes.
5-2--: I was sinking holes the biggest part of the day and hard work it was. I dug 4 holes for the blocks of the W.C. Cecil took pines to town and had a rather hard time selling them. I walked down to the dairy after tea for nails.
6-2--: We put in 10 more blocks, I also picked pines and sent 12 cases and there was 1/ - to pay on them. Russell is a cough drop to work with. There is no doubt, Ill be mighty glad when the job is done.
7-2--: Got up at 5 and picked 6 dozen pines and sunk 2 holes for blocks before Russell came, then rode to town and banked money and made arrangements for iron mongery with Bert Williams.
8-2--: Spent day at Father in laws.
9-2--: Picked 30 dozen pines and 20 lbs tomatoes, dug 11 holes for blocks and helped to erect a W.C. I felt rather crook, but had to keep going all day some how.
10-2-: I got up 20 to 5 and lighted the fire after an early breakfast. I help ed Cecil off with pines and gathered 10 dozen for Arthur. Helped with house rest of day. We now have got all the blocks in.
11-2-: I picked 32 dozen pines and some tomatoes. The rest of the day I helped Russell with the house.
12-2-: House building was the order of the day.
13-2-: Building.
14-2-: Mortising Verandah posts. After dinner finished roof on W.C.
15-2-: Knocked around down at Toms. Took Lily home after tea and talked to the old dad.
16-2-: Worked awfully hard in connection with the house, besides gathering over 30 lb. of tomatoes and 40 dozen pines. A big load of timber came just about teatime 2,341 ft. that we had to unload.
17-2-: Tom and I fixed up the timber and after dinner I rode the bike to town and saw Steads about the rest of the timber.
18-2-: I worked a good while before Russell came, then I put my horse in the cart and went over to Steads for some timber.
19-2-: I gathered some tomatoes and pines and worked at the house the rest of the day. We started to put up the frame a little bef ore dinner, got on fairly well with it. The afternoon was fearfully hot now and then and we both drank a lot of water.
20-2-: I took 4 dozen smooth leaf pines and some tomatoes to town and went over to Steads for a bit of timber, that took till dinner. A fter dinner I worked with Russell.
21-2-: We almost finished putting the roof on as far as the woodwork is concerned. After dinner I made a nail box and gave the moulding and posts a coat of oil. Went to Newmans and had tea.
22-2-: I stayed at home all day. Rained in the afternoon.
23-2-: Worked at the building. Russell gets terribly out of sorts at times. I cut out a side for the stairs as well as help him at various times.
24-2-: Worked at house.
25-2-: Rode to town and ordered the iron for house and came back and worked at house. Bill came and ploughed ground for me.
26-2-: I carted hardwood up the hill the most of the day. Ebzery came out and I paid him in full for what he had carted.
27-2-: House building. After knocked off I started digging postholes for a bit of a paddock I intend making.
28-2-: House building.
1-3--: Rained. I went over to Newmans and stayed to tea.
2-3--: House building. I also sowed 2 rows of spuds and made a tank stand.
3-3--: I carted all the timber for walls and floors up to the house from where it had been stacked and emptied the tank. After tea I rode the bike to Newmans to see Eddie about getting his horse.
4-3--: I got up early and went to Newmans before breakfast and got Skipper, came back and had breakfast, and went to to wn for galvanised iron ware, finished cleaning the tank and put the rest of the posts in for my fence. Russell started putting the walls up.
5-3--: Worked at house and fencing. George Ward and Cecil finished plumbing.
6-3--: Made a couple of stepladders and dug out for the kitchen. Gathered tomatoes and pines also took the tomatoes over to Eddies place.
7-3--: Did more excavating. After dinner I put down 1 board on verandah. Went over to Newmans for a brush and knotting varnish, which Eddie had got for me.
8-3--: I took Teds butter down and stayed for dinner. Ted came with me as far as Charlie Lees.
9-3--: I planted sweet spuds and other stuff, all day. The sun was under clouds all the time but very little rain has fallen.
10-3-: I planted about 20 pines and the rest of the day I was painting the house. Russell has been putting up partitions.
11-3-: Worked at house.
12-3-: House building.
13-3-: Went to town and got bit of timber.
14-3-: Worked at excavating. Afternoon I fixed the chinamans gate.
15-3-: Went to Newmans for dinner and took Lily to Church we went down to Wards for tea.
16-3-: Russell came out and took his tools away. He threw the job because I docked him for half a days wages for the other Monday afternoon. I went with the work as best I could although greatly handicapped on account of being short of tools.
17-3-: I finished putting up a partition that I had started yesterday and went on laying the verandah.
18-3-: Continued putting down the verandah.
19-3-: Charley and I went to A.S.Thomsons Sale and bought several pieces of furniture. Some things went awfully dear, others extremely cheap.
20-3-: Eddie Newman and Tom went to town with a cart each and carted out the furniture. It took us nearly all day, but the little that was left of it I made use of in going on with the verandah.
21-3-: I worked all day laying the verandah. I felt rather crook all the time as I have had a bout of diarrhea, which makes a chap feel absolutely crook.
22-3-: Lily came over after dinner and we stayed here and had tea at Toms. I took her home and I got back before 8.
23-3-: I finished putting down the boards on the verandah and excavated a bit where I am going to put the kitchen. Afternoon I rode the bike to town and bought a beading plane and other little th ings. Tom took the cart in and brought out the joinery for me.
24-3-: It took me all day to put in 2 windows. The day opened up very much like rain but cleared off again.
25-3-: I put in the other 2 windows. It has been raining nearly all day. Afternoon Charley came up with a chap he has got to run his milk cart.
26-3-: It took nearly all day to put in a couple of fanlights. Of course making my own stops takes a lot of time. Lily came over and stayed for dinner.
27-3-: I put in 2 fanlights before dinner. After dinner I made the last one ready to go in and put in a fret panel. The job is going to be rather longer than I thought.
28-3-: I finished putting fret panels up and put the door on the wardrobe. I was working up till about 5 oclock.
29-3-: I spent the day at the farm. We seem as if we are in for rainy weather it is so awfully close.
30-3-: I put up the last fan light and hung the back and front doors, it was a fairly pleasant day The front door was very awkward to hang and I made a bit of a mistake but I think when I finish it, there will not be much to grumble about. It has come on to rain again heavily.
31-3-: I put the stopping at the front and back doors and painted it too. I nearly got a pair of French lights ready for putting up also. Lily came over for the day and helped considerably. I also met Eddie with tomatoes before breakfast.
1-4--: I hung and finished the lock and catch of the door of front bedroom and hung the French lights, I started to prepare yesterday. I am gradually wearing the job down.
2-4--: Lily came over and we got the last of the French lights up, we had 2 pr. to put up, as well as putting hardwood foot boards and other little jobs.
3-4--: I made all the sky lights shut and work correctly and hung the last 2 doors and cut out stops and put up an upright to put a rail up the stairs.
4-4--: I got a scaffold put up with the help of Tom to enable me to finish the backside of the house. After that I went to town and did some business. Afternoon I put stops at 2 doors and after tea walked over to Newmans with Tom for oil.
5-4--: Church. Morrells for tea and took Lily home and had a lemon drink.
6-4--: I put the 2nd. Coat on the side and back of the house and gathered 20 lbs of tomatoes besides hoeing some peas.
7-4--: Put the finishing coat on the front of the house and put a lock on the back bedroom door. Met Eddie with tomatoes.
8-4--: Painted the side of the house and tried staining, and put the lock on the back door.
9-4--: I stained and varnished the back door, the rest of the day I spent with the paintbrush.
10-4-: I had dinner at Toms, Pete Beal and his nephew came out and we looked all over the farm after which I went over to Newmans, had tea there and came home fairly early.
11-4-: I put the lock on the last of the inside doors, stained 1 side of a pair of French lights and also the front of the front door and some fan lights, and cut out 2 photo frames.
12-4-: Went up to C.E.Meeting, it passed off very well.
13-4-: Annual picnic of Endeavour. Lily and I spent the day at the house doing one thing or another.
14-4-: I worked at various jobs in the morning and after dinner, Cecil helped me to put up some ceiling in the back bedroom.
15-4-: Cecil and I put the ceiling up in the front bedroom timber all in the day.
16-4-: I painted the ceiling in the bedroom it was a fair terror on the back of the neck.
17-4-: We put up half the galvanised iron on the side of the house. Afternoon I went to town on business. After I got back I put some hooks for the fanlights to be held back with.
18-4-: We put the rest of the iron on the wall and painted half of it, put the knob on the front door.
19-4-: Took the lass to church and over to her our place for tea.
20-4-: Worked at the house and picked some tomatoes for Eddie. It came up like rain. Lily was over and we were staining the bedroom.
21-4-: Building as usual, I finished staining the bedroom. I put stops on the fanlights.
22-4-: Working at house.
23-4-: Eddie came over and helped me stain and varnish, we put 10/ - worth of varnish on the room and I also got a window shade up on one of the windows.
24-4-: I cut out rails for putting around the steps and almost got a stand made for another tank.
25-4-: I finished the tank stand and went to the city on business. In the evening Tom, Bill and myself went down near the farm and got some fish.
26-4-: Took Teds butter down and found a sock I lost last night. I have a nasty headache so did not go to church.
27-4-: I finished putting the nails around the steps and Lily and I put the stuff on the glass belonging to the bedroom.
28-4-: I painted the putty on the French lights and then started the kitchen.
29-4-: Eddie came over and helped me with the kitchen, we got along very well.
30-4-: Eddie and I went on with the kitchen, there is only the recess to do now and then it will be finished good enough to use.
1-5--: Worked at making a recess for the stove also put a new top on the table.
2-5--: Concreted the recess and practically finished the job. Bill and I went over to the Bower. I had a shot at a turkey but apparently missed.
3-5--: Took Lily to Church.
4-5--: Worked about the house, put a cupboard in a corner of the kitchen.
5-5--: I had a very bad night and this morning I felt like doing nothing, but I fixed the door of my shed and dug some stuff out from under the house. Also met Eddie at the corner of Burns with tomatoes.
6-5--: I worked about the house excavating and other jobs. Cecil and Eddie have been making a tank for me and have almost finished it. I started making a dark room under the house.
7-5--: I got up early and went to town for a stove and wire mattress but after messing around for some time could not get the stove so made arrangements for it to be taken out as far as Mrs Morriss.
8-5--: I picked 11 lbs of peas and a few tomatoes and went on with the dark room. After tea Tom and I went to Morriss and got the stove. It was very awkward to put in the cart, but we managed it all right.
9-5--: I put the stove together and did other things. Afternoon I went to the Mount I was at the pictures and they were not too bad. Got a pair of boots 17/ 6.
10-5-: Was at the Mount. Came home by the evening train and went to the service at the church.
11-5-: Worked about the house. Cecil came around and fixed the stovepipe.
12-5-: I worked about the place and afternoon I went and took photos of the wedding cake. Went to Annual meeting of the Gracemere United Protestant Church a splendid time.
13-5-: Took the day getting screwed up to a degree of matrimonial proficiency. Got tied up at half past five. WEDDING DAY.
14-5-: Poor married man. Felt terribly awful. Made a form for Mrs Dunn, that was almost all I got done for the day.
15-5-: Started hoeing pines. It went none too good after my spell of carpentering.
16-5-: Carried on the hoeing. After dinner we tried to get a photo with the help of Mother who failed us utterly. Laura did a little better.
17-5-: Took a quiet rest. Afternoon I rode over on my bike and brought it home the timekeeper.
18-5-: I got on very well with the hoeing, besides chasing around after pines. Lily gathered a nice lot of tomatoes. It has been very close all day.
19-5-: Got an early start for Burns corner with stuff for Eddie. Came back and had breakfast after which I hoed 7 rows of pines near the house and along the top of the banana patch.
20-5-: Finished hoeing the patch of pines on the Rockhampton side of the house as well as put up some shelves in the kitchen. Lily went out for the day with Mother and Laura. The weather is topsy turvey seems as though winter is coming at last although it gets warm at times.
21-5-: Cecil came and made us a washing tub. I hoed a few rows of pines and printed 6 photos. I also took a piece of wedding cake to Charley Lee and Yen Hop. Charley Lee gave me 2-framed pictures for a present.
22-5-: Picked 11 lbs of peas, Lily got 12 lbs of tomatoes, I got 1 pine. I finished hoeing the smooth leaf pines, hoed a row of bananas, and started hoeing down below the house. Bit like rain, none comes as usual.
23-5-: I got up and met Eddie and hoed a row of pines below the house. I made some post cards of the cake as well.
24-5-: We went down to the farm for tea. Met a man down there name Brereton formally Captain of Artillery, went through the African war.
25-5-: Hoed pines, Lily picked a few tom atoes. It was rather an unpleasant day. Too warm for the time of the year and yet it does not seem as though. Yen Hop presented us with tops for 2 wedding cakes 16/- thrown away the silly beggar.
26-5-: Met Eddie with a few tomatoes. The rest of the day I hoed pines. Went to Blyth Farm and got a few new potatoes. Tom was irrigating Lucerne.
27-5-: I hoed pines all day, put a bit of an affair up in the kitchen while Lily was at her old home. I thought it would be handy for her to put several things on.
28-5-: I finished hoeing the lot of short rows of pines where the Lisbon lemon trees are. The wife has been down at the farm all day, she has cut out a dress for Teds wife to cut a dash with. There was a first frost last night.
29-5-: Took around a few tomatoes and peas for Eddie and hoed a few pines, finished the affair for the pots. Put a sort of thing up for a lamp at the dark room window and fixed mango trees against damage by frost.
30-5-: I hoed pines near the shed amongst the fruit trees. We tried getting a photo of Lily and I again but had poor return for trouble owing principably to the wind.
31-5-: We stayed home all day but we managed to be at Toms for tea.
1-6--: I hoed the top row of pines. It was a pretty stiff days work too. After I knocked off I got about a quarter of the pumpkins into the shed. It has not been so cold the last morning or two.
2-6--: Hoed the second row of pines. There no mistake that it is just about a days work. I was very tired when I finished at night. The Temperance meeting at the School of Arts was very well attended so our people said.
3-6--: The third row of pines from the top had the weeds in it slaughtered today. We had Tom Beal to tea. Pete had done a get off home without him so he had to go in by train.
4-6--: I hoed during the morning, after dinner it was like rain and I poked about the house. I had jaw ache.
5-6--: It did not rain much last night, but this morning I planted some tomato plants and also hoed a little, picked 9 pines for Eddie.
6-6--: Got up and met Eddie with a few tomatoes and the pines, after breakfast I finished the row of pines I was hoeing.
7-6--: I had a swollen jaw so could not get to Church.
8-6--: I put out tomato plants and smooth leaf gill sprouts also sowed some pea seed.
9-6--: I spent the day at Forsdikes sale. Things went fairly dear, but I managed to do fairly well including a whole lot of books for 5/- Chest of Drawers for £2/5/- let Tom have them £2/10/-.
10-6-: I got up early and went over for Eddies horse, went to town for the things. Also got the sewing machine from the farm.
11-6-: I hoed amongst the pines.
12-6-: I hoed pines all day.
13-6-: Took a couple of trips to the corner with my stuff and Cecils.
14-6-: Went to church and heard the Rev Whyte preach.
15-6-: First thing I went to the city and did some biz, including getting Bert Williams to go over their account with me, and buying a present for the Schirmers wedding, came home and hoed half a row of pines.
16-6-: Met Eddie with 1 dozen pines, finished hoeing the row of p ines I started yesterday. It rained during the afternoon. I met Eddie and got the present for Schirmers, Eddie brought it out for me. I got wet coming from the corner.
17-6-: I took my bike to pieces, cleaned it and put two new covers on. The weather is awfully windy and a cold wind at that.
18-6-: I cleaned up the grass and rubbish at the back of the house. The wind cuts me almost in two. Nearly every one is growling about it. Arthur was down with Rev. H.P.Hare who christened a couple of babies. Called here as they going to the train.
19-6-: Got up early and met Eddie with pines instead of tomorrow.
20-6-: I burned a track nearly to the top of the hill and hoed pines. All the rest of the Johnsons except Cecil and us were at the show.
21-6-: I rode over to Newmans and had a look around. Afternoon I stayed home and read. Went down to Toms and had tea.
22-6-: I picked a few pines and hoed 3 short rows at the top end of the garden. The day was a bit like rain. In fact a couple of showers fell during the afternoon. Art came down to see about Punch.
23-6-: Came in like rain, in fact it seemed no use to go on hoeing so I started getting land ready for beans. I got 7 rows sown when night stopped me so I left a little to go on with in the morning all being well.
24-6-: It rained so much during the night that one of our tanks was running over and it continued throughout the day so I could do no work outside. But I made some doorstops and fixed the last pair of French lights with it.
25-6-: It rained all day. It has every appearance of coming a lot more yet.
26-6-: I sent 8 dozen pines to Arthur. The rest of the day I dug ground for beans. I sowed the last of the 2 lbs of bean seed Eddie got for me on Tuesday.
27-6-: I cleaned and dug land for French beans. I did a good days work.
28-6-: I rode the bike to Church. Tom, Bill and I rode through Archers Woolshed paddock after the service was over.
29-6-: I finished planting the patch of beans and picked 2 doz. pines for Eddie. Lily picked 6 lb, of peas and a few tomatoes. After tea I took the pines down the road as far as Charleys and called in and fixed up matters between us.
30-6-: I planted pine suckers near the bean patch. 2 short rows. I was up be times in order to meet Eddie.
1-7--: I took pine suckers to the top of the hill. It is very hard work humping them up. I also sowed a few pumpkins on the land. Bill ploughed. Dug a row of bananas and hoed a few peas.
2-7--: I sowed the last of my bean seed and humped 2 lots of suckers to the top of the hill I now have 200 pines up there.
3-7--: I picked and cased 10 dozen pines for Arthur. The rest of the day I hoed and worked about the garden except that I picked 3 dozen pines for Eddie.
4-7--: I dug ground and hoed along the passion fruit. After 3, I went down to the farm and while I was away Russell came and got his things. After tea Tom, Bill and I went shooting but had no success.
5-7--: Lily and I walked up to Church. The service was fairly attended and very well conducted, by a local preacher just from England.
6-7--: I dug a little at the top end of the garden and went over the peas with the Dutch hoe and hoed along the bottom of the passion fruit and also along the pines near the passion fruit and a nice lot of bananas. I hoed also and picked a few pines.
7-7--: Helped Cecil with stuff for Eddie, went to Gracemere for meat and hoed amongst the bananas also went to the farm for some wire to make a clothesline.
8-7--: Hoeing bananas. Several have died owing to hard times and neglect. I finished the lot there was to be done and they look very well.
9-7--: I hoed pines and did a little towards my paddock for Bob. Pete Beal was out and looking around the places. He said that Ernies pines look the best.
10-7-: Hoeing the short rows of pines at the top end of garden.
11-7-: Same old job. After dinner I went to Fairy Bower and shot a wallaby and turkey.
12-7-: I went up to service with Eddie. Weller was the man and spoke well.
13-7-: Tackled the hoeing again and sent 5 dozen pines up to Arthur. I have been doing little bits to the fence around Bobs little paddock during the week.
14-7-: Hoeing at the same lot of pines, and did a bit more to the fence. Severe frost this week.
15-7-: I finished the lot of pines I have been hoeing and started to clear a bit of the pear at the top of the hill.
16-7-: I hoed some rows of pines and worked a little at the top of the hill. The weather is very severe in the way of frosts lately.
17-7-: Hoed 4 rows of pines, and went to town and got a hair cut and bought little things.
18-7-: Hoed 2 rows of pines, met Eddie with pines and peas. Afternoon went to the Bower and got a turkey and wallaby. A very large buck wallaby and a fairly good turkey. Went up to Endeavour nice little meeting.
19-7-: I rode bike to church, no minister turned up.
20-7-: Picked pines and packed 11 dozen for Arthur also made a couple of heaps of pear at the top of the hill.
21-7-: Met Eddie at the corner with pines, the rest of the day I hoed amongst the pines and tempered 2 hoes and made a handle. Thomson came down, gave me 1/- he owed for tomatoes and also took 1/- worth of pines.
22-7-: Finished hoeing the piece of pines I started last week.
23-7-: Started hoeing the last and only lot of pines left to clean by hand, also dug about a bag of sweet potatoes. It has come up very much like rain. Arthur came down and brought us some mutton.
24-7-: Hoed pines and dug holes for to put banana suckers where some had died out.
25-7-: Met Eddie with a bit of stuff, went and did a little to the top of the hill. Afternoon Tom and I tramped all over the Bower scrub but had no luck.
26-7-: Went to church. Wards for tea, after which went to C.E. Meeting.
27-7-: Hoed pines. Picked 1 1/2 dozen for Eddie. The weather is now very warm.
28-7-: Hoeing pines again oh, dear. Thats a job as makes you queer.
29-7-: Hoeing pines and tomatoes.
30-7-: Picked and cased 81/2 doz. pines and sent A, M. Johnson them, along with a bag of sweet spuds. The rest of the day I was hoeing pines. Mother came down with him. I also put a post in as a start for a stable.
31-7-: Came up very like rain in the morning but all passed away. I took some cyanide to the top of the hill and put in the ants nest, hoed amongst the beans cut some chocks for the rails of the verandah.
1-8--: I did a bit of hoeing and made the pronged hoe straight and took the burr off the axe, I got from Charley.
2-8--: Went to church. Bongers was in the pulpit. A poor attendance was the order of things.
3-8--: I finished hoeing a row of pines that I started last week, hoed a row of pines with tomatoes growing between them and worked a bit at a stable I am making to keep my horse in.
4-8--: Met Eddie at the corner with peas, hoed pines and did a bit more to the stable.
5-8--: I worked at the stable a little and also finished hoeing the piece of pines I was at Terrible War broke out in Europe.
6-8--: I worked at the stable most of the day. Dug a bag of sweet potatoes. I had the things to send to Mt Morgan, but Arthur did not want them. Things are pretty bad at the Mt. a lot of hands have been put off on account of the war.
7-8--: I felt very unsettled and put the roof on the stable. Arthur has sent down 18 cases of oranges to be hawked in Rockhampton as they do not go in the Mt. just now.
8-8--: Helped Cecil and Bill off to town then poked about the place doing things of various descriptions.
9-8--: Got ready for church but it came on showery and we could not go. Went and stayed with Daisy for tea. I slept with Eddie on Harrys Lucerne.
10-8-: We arose rather early and had a good look around for something. Eddie had lost containing valuables. I happened to find it and then came home and worked at the stable.
11-8-: Helped Cecil and Bill off then put the day in the stable etc.
12-8-: I worked at the stable and cut rubbish out of the pine rows below the passion fruit. Awful things are happening over in Europe. War is a terrible calamity, the German Emperor is mad.
13-8-: Hoed a row of pines and cut the rubbish out of another row with the sickle. I also started fixing a place for fowls. Mrs Harry Newman a nd her sister came over to see us.
14-8-: I worked at the stable building and cut rubbish out of pines.
15-8-: I fixed up the opening of the stable so that I can put rails in.
16-8-: I stayed at home as I didnt feel equal to going to church.
17-8-: I started hoeing the lower lot of pines I have in the garden.
18-8-: I hoed pines and sharpened some balusters. Eddie brought the case of tools from Headricks for me.
19-8-: I hoed amongst the pines in the early part of the day. Afternoon I commenced putting the verandah rails in. It has been an awfully hot day. I think every one is feeling the effects of it.
20-8-: Hoed a row of pines and put in Balusters and rails round the verandah. The weather is awfully hot and dry.
21-8-: Hoed another row of pines and put more Balusters and rails up. Arthur has got another pump going.
22-8-: Sharpened Balusters and did a lot of small jobs as well.
23-8-: We did not go to church. Had tea with Laura and Cecil.
24-8-: Hoed pines and put in 3 sets of rails and Balusters. The weather keeps very hot and dry.
25-8-: Same work as yesterday. Didnt feel very well so didnt hurt myself. Saw in the paper that Japan has declared war on Germany.
26-8-: Hoed pines and made a gate for the verandah.
27-8-: Put a set of rails and Balusters in. Helped Cecil to burn grass on his side of the hill also prepared a place and planted 14 tomato plants.
28-8-: Hoed a piece of land where I intend to put tomatoes. Horrible wind blew all day it was awful in it.
29-8-: Humped manure up the hill and dug trenches and put a nice bit of manure at every place where I am going to plant tomatoes.
30-8-: Went to church and heard Ensign Brooks give a very good discourse.
31-8-: Picked 15 lbs of beans and rode by bike to the dairy to read the Bulletin and got a bit of barbed wire. I put the wire on the fence and hoed 2 rows of pines. The weather was fairly hot.
1-9--: Met Eddie with a bit of produce. Hoed pines and put a couple of pieces of board along the verandah.
2-9--: Hoed pines and put a little more on the house finishing, running a 6x1 board along the long side of the house.
3-9--: Arose at 5.30 and started picking French beans. After I had finished the beans I hoed a row of pines and went and found Dick, went and saw Eddie. After dinner Eddie, Cecil and I drove to town and got the wheel of the sulky fixed and did some little business. Came home and I hoed a bit till knock off time.
4-9--: Put in a stiff half day boring holes for Arthur to put pegs in, to hold his irrigation pipes on. After dinner I hoed and put a couple of 6x1 boards along the front of the house just underneath the verandah.
5-9--: Helped Tom irrigate all day. It came on a shower while we were doing it and we got nearly wet through.
6-9--: Tom and I walked to the farm and got the cow tucker ready. It was a bit showery during the morning, but fine though very windy afternoon.
7-9--: I hoed 2 rows of pines and poked around at other bits of jobs. Rain seems to be in the air but seems as though it is going to stay there.
8-9--: Hoed pines. Lily and Laura went to an affair at the Salvation Army Barracks.
9-9--: Started hoeing the long rows of pines again. The weather is very fickle, changes about 3 or 4 times a week.
10-9-: Hoed pines and dodged about at other bits of jobs, Pete Beal came out and had a look round.
11-9-: Hoed a row of pines and did a little towards a bit of a place I am making for a few fowls to reside in. I also put a new lock on mothers kitchen door.
12-9-: Got up early and finished hoeing the row of pines I was doing yesterday. Then I went to town on business and did quite a lot. Ordered some steel cornice for the hallway and the 2 back rooms. Got a last and soled my working boots.
13-9-: Drove over to Beals. Mr and Mrs Franks were there. We spent a nice time. Arthur was there also. Big storm worked round the mounts.
14-9-: Hoed pines. The weather is awfully hot. I went down to Charleys and looked at the top rail on the verandah so that I could do mine similar. Newspaper tells of German retreat from France where they have been playing havoc.
15-9-: Hoed pines and erected a scaffold in a room to put the ceiling up. In the afternoon it was simply cruel as far as heat was concerned, sweat simply run down my face.
16-9-: Hoed a row of pines. Also got Cecil to help me to put up the ceiling in the back room.
17-9-: Hoed pines and worked at tacking up the ceiling. It was beastly hot. Big fog.
18-9-: Banked pines and tacked the ceiling, and also put top rails round the verandah.
19-9-: Banked a couple of rows of pines and painted ceiling. Afternoon went to the farm with Tom and Bill and got some peas, Patriotic Concert at the School of Arts, took Lily.
20-9-: Went to the dairy and got some milk. Stayed home rest of day.
21-9-: Banked a row of pines and put another coat of paint on the ceiling and hoed some cobbler pegs up, also finished the frame of a verandah chair, which I started about a year ago.
22-9-: Banked a row of pines and put on another coat, the third on the ceiling. Filled up a couple of spaces in the floor of the verandah.
23-9-: Banked 2 rows of pines and started putting the 4th. And last coat of paint on the ceiling, when my brush came to pieces.
24-9-: Banked pines and started to manufacture an affair for the Christian Endeavour. Society to keep their books in also put canvas on the verandah chair.
25-9-: Banked pines and did a little more to the Endeavour affair, also hoed 4 short rows of pines near the house.
26-9-: Banked 2 rows of pines. Went to town and arranged for R. E. Burton to take delivery of the Spading Harrow from Horderns. Afternoon Tom, Bill and I went to the Bower and shot foxes. Mother and Laura came home.
27-9-: Had a nice time down at Charleys, in honour of Cecil.
28-9-: Hoed a few short rows of pines and went down to the farm and helped Ted to cut corn feed for Charley. Cecil, Laura and Mother had their photos taken a Lynn Studio.

29-9-: Hoed pines. Mother and Laura took Cecil in to see him off at the train. Franky Morrell brought him down a splendid Pocket New testament.
30-9-: I got up at 5.20 and met Eddie at the corner with tomatoes etc. After that I finished hoeing the pines down near the gate. Eddie brought out some cornice and also the Spading Harrow , which is in about 100 pieces. It has cost in all £8-15-6.
1-10-: I put the Spading Harrow together and also did a bit of hoeing.
2-10-: Hoed pines and did other jobs. Arthur has got a potato digger.
3-10-: Got up and went to the Bower at 10 to 5 but could not get anything. Started putting the cornice up in the back room. About 200 infantry were drilling in front of the hill and had tea. Signaller sent message from here to town.
4-10-: Very windy and altogether a rough day. Stayed home.
5-10-: Finished putting the cornice around the sitting room, but it has to be tacked up more yet. Also made a gate for the fowl yard. Went round and carried the produce down ready to take to the corner tomorrow.
6-10-: Met Eddie at the corner before 6. I was waiting for him some time, finished tacking the cornice up in the sitting room, and also hoed pines. Storms are hanging around.
7-10-: Banked pines and put out a few tomato plants. Also manured the passion fruit. Rain was sailing around in small quantities but so far we have failed to get any.
8-10-: Splendid rain fell during the hours of last night. Today I planted out tomato and other plants also put 3 more bananas suckers near the house. Also painted the cornice of the back room.
9-10-: Planted maize where I had French beans. Also made a terrace at the first gully.
10-10: Did a big day at all kinds of work. Bill brought the Disc plow up and broke up a piece of land. I put a trellis up for the grapes and tied them to it.
11-10: Knocked around the various places. Got Bob up ready for work.
12-10: Rain fell rather muchly in the fore part of last night. I dug ground during the morning and harrowed the land. Bill ploughed in the afternoon. It was awfully rough work.
13-10: I run over a piece of land with the Spading Harrow and in the afternoon I put the disc attachment on and started to disc the ground that was ploughed on Saturday.
14-10: I was discing land all day. It was rather warm some times during the day.
15-10: Ploughed ground and sowed some sunflower seed. The day was an absolutely hot day. Both the horse and myself felt at the close of day that we had done quite enough.
16-10: Ploughed ground all day. I am getting on famously with the garden work.
17-10: Ploughed during the morning and went to a sale at Port Curtis Road in the afternoon.
18-10: We went and spent the afternoon with Mrs Harvey.
19-10: I finished ploughing the ground in the front and went over and got the things I bought on Saturday.
20-10: Ploughed between the pines. I am settled on account of there being no room to turn around. I must take some pines off the end of the rows.
21-10: Carted manure. It is not at all a bad job. Bob takes a load up to the top of the pines about 5 rows from the top.
22-10: Carted manure and put some of it on pines.
23-10: Got up about 4 and finished manuring the lot of pines at the top end of the garden and then went to town and got the Photos of Mother, Laura & Cecil also did a lot of other business. After dinner I carted a load of manure up the pine rows.
24-10: Finished manuring the end row of pines below the passion fruit and run the S. harrow over the manure to work it in. After dinner went to the dairy and took portraits, awfully windy for the job.
25-10: Went to Church, Army was in the Pulpit, asked Vicary to come down and see me with regard to working on Cecils place.
26-10: I carted manure up the garden and also brought a load of wood from the horse paddock. I also hoed along the banana rows.
27-10: Got up with a start and met Eddie with the stuff, came back and picked suckers off a row that was in my road for ploughing amongst some short rows of pines. Did some ploughing.
28-10: Ploughed ground at the top end of the garden and also hoed between bananas.
29-10: Ploughed land where I intend planting pines and hoed between the bananas. Just before tea I pulled over 100 suckers off the pines at the back of the house.
30-10: Pulled 850 suckers as well as do some plowing. Sucker pulling is rather a nasty job as you get your hands full of pricks.
31-10: Got up early and met Eddie with the stuff and pulled another 50 suckers.
1-11-: Spent the day at home except that I went down to the dairy for milk.
2-11-: Planted pineapple suckers, also went down and took some snapshots of Arthurs potato digger.
3-11-: Again I spent the day planting suckers. The weather is very hot lately and should rain soon.
4-11-: Finished planting the lot of pines and mixed paint for Lily to paint a bit. Also hoed pines in front of the house.
5-11-: Hoed pines and did a little paint mixing and also put some on the walls of the front and back rooms.
6-11-: Hoed pines and cut out and put together a frame for a press for C.E.Society also painted a little.
7-11-: Hoed 4 rows of pines at top end of garden. Afternoon put cornice round back bedroom.
8-11-: Rode with Bill and Cecil Carr to Fairy Bower and waited whilst they had a swim. In the afternoon had a cup of tea at Daisys.
9-11-: Hoed 2 rows of pines and fooled with mixing paint. Also got things ready for manure carting and brought 1 load home with me. Developed photos after tea.
10-11: Got up before 5 and met Eddie at the corner. Carted 6 loads of manure.
11-11: Arose at 1/4 to 5 and carted 6 loads of manure. The weather has taken a windy turn so I took the dray home.
12-11: Hoed pines and poked around at other jobs during the day. Finished framing the photo of Mother, Laura and Cecil
13-11: Hoed pines and did a little to the house.
14-11: Finished hoeing the lot of pines at the top end of the garden.
15-11: Went and paid a visit to Mr and Mrs Harry Newman had an enjoyable time.
16-11: Hoed pines and also banked some. Also gave Lily a start at painting the ceiling of the room next, to ours. Arthur started ploughing with his motor plow today.
17-11: Banked pines and other jobs.
18-11: Banked pines and did some painting.
19-11: Banked pines I was crook in the inside.
20-11: Ted and I took train to Brisbane.
21-11: Arrived Central Railway Station 20 past 6 a.m. Took train to Enoggera and visited the camp. Had a good time with Cecil at night, we three slept at Peoples Palace.
22-11: We three spent the day together. Went to Baptist Church at Enoggera with Thompsons, who are very nice people.
23-11: Ted and I knocked about the city and took the lift to Finny Isles Garden roof cafe and had a look round. Splendid war photos to be seen there, all the latest as they arrive. Took train for home 10.25 p.m.
24-11: Arrived Stanley Street after 4 came home with a nasty headache.
25-11: I rested all day.
26-11: Banked a row of pines and poked around doing other bits of jobs.
27-11: Went to town on business. It was an awfully hot day.
28-11: Met Eddie at the corner and after breakfast went down to take photos.
29-11: Looked too rainy to go out.
30-11: Seemed inclined to rain, I have felt very crook since I came home from Brisbane. Suffered from awful cold in the head.
1-12-: Got up early and met Eddie at the corner. After breakfast got a load of wood from Bobs paddock. Poked about the rest of the day doing very little.
2-12-: Hoed a bit and did a few other jobs. Burned off the rubbish between Cecils and Ernies so that Paddy can get a start at clearing the pear etc.
3-12-: Disced a piece of land over, it just took me all the day. I took a snap of Lily on the seat of the harrow.
4-12-: Worked about the place.
5-12-: Fixed up a new implement for raking rubbish off the ground.
6-12-: Stayed around home.
7-12-: Disced land.
8-12-: Met Eddie and finished discing the piece of land.
9-12-: Hoed pines etc.
10-12: Paddy and I hoed pines.
11-12: Paddy and I hoed pines.
12-12: I put the Wunderlich up in the halls.
13-12: Drove mother to church. St. A. Miller representative.
14-12: Hoed a row of pines and painted the ceiling in the hall.
15-12: Painting the ceiling in the hall.
16-12: Hoed a few weeds of various kinds.
17-12: Did a bit of hoeing and also some work about the house.
18-12: Worked about the house. Paddy and I got 2 loads of wood for mother in the afternoon.
19-12: Made a shade for tomato plants.
20-12: Spent a quiet day at home.
21-12: I started fixing my pineapple cart ready for hawking. The days are abominably hot it is too solid to do much outside. Picked pined and tomatoes on Cecils place.
22-12: Fixing the frame of cover for cart, and picking pines.
23-12: Carted a load of horse dung up to the garden and got a load of wood also carted the pines round from the house at the front to my place ready for tomorrow. Still fixing cart.
24-12: Went in with first lot of pines, did very well indeed considering the bad times. Big storm fell during the night, awfully windy.
25-12: Spent a quiet day around the neighbourhood of home.
26-12: Fishing at Dead mans Lagoon. Did very fair at it.
27-12: Stayed at home all day.
28-12: Planted Pumpkins, Maize and Cowpea, also put out Rosella plants.
29-12: I went in with pines etc. Had a very long day too.
30-12: Worked at different jobs and got things ready for tomorrow.
31-12: Took some pines etc to the city and sold out by half past eleven oclock. Got a set of slippers on Bob and got home for dinner.