I say, I say! What’s so funny?

I say, I say! What’s so funny?

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Happy Easter Bank Holiday Monday! Lovely day. Walked out in the countryside with Dave, his daughter and her family. Haven’t seen Laura, Trevor or the grandchildren for months. Those kids they do grow! Young Evie is so bright, and Oliver just laughs and smiles. Precious. We went to their neck of the woods, to the Wild Garlic Woods, and saw lots of new things. The wild garlic is just coming now. We rubbed the leaves, and the smell was delicious.

We also learned what a Ha Ha is. Dave told us. There was a beautiful old Rectory just up the road from them, which had what I thought was a dried out ditch at the front. Proper deep it was too. Put it this way: you wouldn’t want to pull over for oncoming traffic!

No, No, said Dave. That is a Ha Ha. We all started laughing. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha? It’s true, he insisted. It was an Edwardian feature apparently.

“an incline that slopes downward to a sharply vertical face (typically a brick wall). Ha-has are used in landscape design to prevent access to a garden by, for example, grazing livestock, without obstructing views. In security design, the element is used to deter vehicular access to a site while minimizing visual obstruction.

The name “ha-ha” is thought to have stemmed from the exclamations of surprise by those coming across them, as the walls were intentionally designed so as not to be visible on the plane of the landscape.”

Well it certainly made us laugh. We skipped off down the lane, singing “Ha Ha! He”s fallen in the ha ha!” Much to Evie’s amusement.

She wanted to show us the Local Library too. And this is where we were literally stopped in our tracks….

Isn’t that something?

What’s more, she knew exactly where the childrens’ section was. At the bottom of course, in easy reach for kids. All thought out… She also knew which book she was looking for. They use the little library a lot. Isn‘t that something too?

There are things about England which I just love. To find an old disused, iconic telephone box in the middle of the countryside, which the locals have turned into a community library is simply heart-warming. In fact, there is so much goodness around; you just have to open your eyes. TO IT. To the goodness. Not the badness. Too often we are getting sucked into negative news, bad stuff. To the detriment of all the goodness around us.

Stay safe.

Love always

Barb xxx

20 thoughts on “I say, I say! What’s so funny?

  1. I’ve come across Ha Ha in novels where they were described as a barrier to sheep etc but never really understood how. Your diagram shows it clearly so thanks for that.
    What a great library, especially for children.

  2. Hoe lovely that you were able to spend time with some of the family today. What an adorable little girl in that library. So nice to see a kid with a book instead of a piece of technical gear.
    I do miss seeing our iconic red telephone boxes, the new ones (if you can find one!!!) are not as attractive. Fortunately we still have the standard red post boxes dotted around.
    Very busy day today. Started to snow when we went out at the crack of dawn to shop before the crowds arrived and before long it was falling sideways but never settled. The sun came out just before lunch and it is now quite warm.
    Having pulled out a load of odds and ends from the craft room last week I decided to empty the box, upcycle as much as possiblel, and finished up making 28 cards. I now have more room for some of my Clarity gear.
    Looking forward to the next ODS, those Groovi plates are a must have.
    Take care, stay safe.

  3. Oh Barbara what a lovely time you have had with your family. Isn’t it wonderful spending time together. We had a lovely time in the garden yesterday with our daughter and son-in-law and their nervous dog. The doggy did behave himself and they are coming back next weekend. Which is fab we have so missed seeing them. Have a great evening. Take care. Hugs xxx

  4. I have heard of a few of these libraries popping up and they are a wonderful idea, as so many have closed. It is one of my missions in life to get children to read and it warms my heart to see the little girl in the phone box.
    I agree about there being good people out there. On Saturday I was in tears when Ant and Dec had a couple on, who had started an online tavern quiz during lockdown. What they and the 40 odd thousand members did for each other was amazing. It is people like that who should be awarded honours by the Queen. Have a lovely evening. Hugs. Annette X

  5. Looks like you had a wonderful day. I’ve managed to do a little bit of crafty tidying up, but have worked out that my stash has now outgrown my storage space! I think I’m going to have to do some weeding (but it won’t be Clarity!!). I also managed to catch up with yesterday’s TV shows – more fab stuff that’s now on my wish list…

  6. Love the photos, the idea of a library in a phone box is a great idea & I think there are a few around the country. My eldest granddaughters had books for Easter, they have been reading a lot during lockdown. The eldest chose Little Women which I must admit I haven’t read but looking at the first few pages on amazon it could have been written today not in 1868. I will have to borrow it when she has finished it & catch up with some classic reading.

  7. Good to hear you are enjoying Easter break. Telephone box reminded me of one of my favourite ever books….. ‘The Telephone Box Library’ by Rachael Lucas. Such a feel good story.

      1. Yes I have just read that book on audible. In fact it would be more truthful to say I listened to it and do so quite often. I came across my fist HaHa as a child, growing up in Northamptonshire, they are a great design idea and I thought quite magical. The wild garlic reminds me of my visits to Cornwall, pre lockdown, soon be lifted so I can visit again.

  8. Glad you had a good day, thanks for the info on the ha ha, I’d heard of it but wasn’t sure what it was. I’ve seen a library in a telephone box on tv recently but not in the flesh ! Have they always been or did they come about during the pandemic? Been a lovely day, if a bit nippy. We even had a snow shower this morning. X

  9. Lovely to hear you were able to spend time with family. It’s great that we continue to learn something new everyday.

  10. I do love that wee library! And the fact that Olivia knows exactly where the books for her are! Never heard of a Haha but know what one is now, so thank you xx

  11. Hi Barb, what a lovely day you had. Thanks for sharing the story of the HaHa, you never know when that may come up in a quiz program or pub quiz. Evie looks right at home in that little library, what a brilliant idea. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

  12. I did an archaeological dig at Chirk Castle looking for garden features etc at the front of the castle and a we found a rather large ditch that turned out to be the remains of a Ha Ha.

  13. We have a Ha Ha near us.
    Thank you and the Clarity team for organising the Easter Egg Hunt. I don’t know how many times I looked at the products but could only find eight. Well done to those that found them all.

  14. Love your library telephonebox!!!
    In the Netherlands you will not find a telephonebox anywhere. They all disapeared because there were not used anymore.
    But we have also outside library ‘s but they are in old large boxes or new one build aspecialy for this occasion.
    Beautiful picture of the little girl in the phonebox.
    Stay save and will see you tomorrow in the Shac.
    Greetings, Trijntje Huppel

  15. It’s a funny name..Ha Ha isn’t it and only know what it is from visiting National Trust properties as quite a few have one. At first I thought what’s that big ditch there for..lol. Glad you had a lovely meet up with Dave’s daughter and the grandchildren after such a long time Barbara and love these telephone box libraries which have sprung up over recent years. We have come across a few down here in Somerset. x

  16. I love those little pop up community libraries. We have a lot of zero waste food sheds too up here – to share surplus groceries, produce etc. Little opportunities to make the most of resources which together make a difference x

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