SEPTEMBER 19 - Growing Things, Thieving Basta... Thieves, and A Couple Of Tunes ...

After mulling over a Will I? or Won't I? I decided I should, so Breehy and I got ready for a short bike ride. I re-checked the route I had jotted down from Google, and that's when I realized I had omitted a 'right onto 102A', which explains why I kept missing the Park and Community Garden as a previous destination. Today, that seemed like a really good place to go, a simple easy 7.8 kilometre round trip.

So I packed Breehy's basket - including my notebook with directions, and my new favourite snack, Tiramisu Caramels. They were in the bulk bin next to the Chocolate Covered Raspberries, therefore they must be some kind of fruit, I would think. And then we were off.

How easy was it to find the community garden? Very easy. Because of construction at King George and 96, which meant really busy one-lane traffic, no sidewalk, and no bike lane, I walked up the opposite sidewalk pushing Breehy - fear of a $180 ticket kept me on the right side of the law - I also like Living Right and Being Free. Plus my energy level was quite low, and even on the level I found it hard to pedal. This was the first inkling that I probably should have stayed at home.

There was a welcoming committee of one at the entrance to the garden - but he didn't want to share his corn.

 And someone had planted a whole lot of Composting Bins.

 Even this late in the summer, there were still blooms aplenty.

I met Beverly, who was spending her daily hour and an half in her garden plot. She has had a season of removing Horsetail Weeds and is already getting her garden ready for next season's harvest. She told me there is a quite a bit of theft at this community garden - she has had her zucchinis stolen recently, and I think this is utterly disgusting. I love living in Surrey, but I am getting really ticked off at the lowlives that also inhabit this beautiful city.

Anyway, she's got a fine crop of beans there. I'm not going to tell anyone the location of this treasure - there are probably quite a few community gardens in Surrey, as well as in other cities in the Lower Mainland, and I imagine they all have their share of theft.  There are also a lot of really good, very decent priced markets where one can go to buy their zucchini, rather than steal them - such as Sabzi Mandi Supermarket on 100th Avenue just off King George, which is by far my favourite.

 Hmmm - must be getting near fall - what do I see peeking between these big leaves?

 After a trip around the garden, I rode along a forest path -

- and when I got to the other side of it - discovered I had ridden through Cedar Grove Park. My original intention was to go back home after the garden, but what the heck - a little bit farther wouldn't hurt. According to all the uphill I had to take to get here, there would be a nice downhill ride back home - at least most of the way.

 I found 104 Avenue and decided to head down for a bit, and what should I come across but -

Now, I'm not a violent person, but when I think of people who steal zucchinis, and, not to forget the low life who stole all my recycling cans/bottles from just outside my kitchen door, I wouldn't mind having a bit of this stuff in my possession. And who can resist free stuff .... free is good. But what the heck is a reloading bench?

A few more pedals, and look what I see - Guildford Mall. That was a different blog.

Yes, Guildford Mall. Needless to say, not even the thought of the Nestle's Toll House Cookie shop could drag me in a mall today. So on I went, and turned on 154 looking for both a lunch and a way home.

I did find a strip mall with a Tim Hortons, and figured it was as good a time as any to try one of their Paninis. I had heard they were 'amazing.' We'll see. So I packed a Panini, a Frozen Lemonade and a Vanilla Yogurt in Breehy's basket (it's amazing how much that can hold - it's almost as good as a purse) and went looking for a shady place for a picnic. Hmm. Another park.

I think that bike symbol is a motorized bike, not a genteel little pink and white Breehy, so off we go. And then I see this, and think - Water! Yes! A picnic by the water!

How lovely is this? Well, lovely except  for the Panini. I got a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. That's it. And although the first Frozen Lemonade I had from Tim Hortons this summer was really yummy, this one was full of artificial flavour. All in all, I wasn't impressed. Plus the fact there was nowhere to sit to eat this, so I had to repack everything and go scouting some more.

Yes, this would do. A nice shady spot under a tree, by a low fence I could use for a bench. A pretty view of the impending season, and Burp.

So now, it was just finding my way home. I used to be really good at getting lost in Surrey, but not any more. I knew if I went down this way, I'd come across some way familiar, and I did indeed. I came to 100th Avenue, which was great, because I knew that would take me to Sabzi Mandi Supermarket on the way home, and I could fill Breehy's basket with fruit and veggies. Yes! 

 It wasn't free - but it wasn't expensive either. And it was fresh, and perfect, and perfectly delicious.

You're welcome, and I will certainly visit again. Next time I'm getting zucchini for really delicious Zucchini Brownies - so good you'd swear they were sinful! (And I mean, I'm getting zucchini from the market - not the community garden!)

About 8 miles - well, actually a bit over as I did a bit of exploring. But it happened to be about 7 miles too much for my poor body, as I came home and had no energy left - only a sore and poor, poor pitiful me.