My daughter told me that the family wanted to celebrate my 60th birthday after my trip because “technical problems.” I said “sure,” but I thought “technical issues” meant that whatever gift they had ordered online wouldn’t arrive on time.

I could not have been more mistaken.

My sister Marianne and I both liked the idea of going to Hawaii in April. Hawaii in April sounded good to me, and my sister Marianne who also had never been liked it too.

While we were in Hawaii, I imagined that my children waited impatiently for the “technical problems” to be solved.

I was more incorrect than I should have been.

This cryptic message was on my desk the afternoon I returned from work.

My birthday celebration had begun, but I didn’t know what to expect next.

Soon after, I heard beep beep beep beep and at the same moment, a message appeared on my computer asking What is the source of that noise? The second clue was attached to the digital stopwatch under my desk. I traced the beeping back to it. My son Arlan deserves a big thank you for his clever treasure hunt.

Some clues were on the outside and others were inside.

The clue was a blown out eggshell that was hidden in a carton of eggs in the fridge.

The next to last clue led me on this mossy trail, breaking the “rule” that no clues should be taken beyond the mailbox.

Then I discovered a balloon that was frozen and shrunken, with a sign reading “Look around, look far and wide. You can see your final clue from here.”

The garden shelter is what we call it.

Never in my life have I been more surprised.

I was astonished…dumbfounded…

…completely and completely gobsmacked.

Enjoying my new toy

Later, I learned that our family friends Nicole & Derrick had built a garden shelter using an picture from one of my Pinterest boards. Derrick, my children and I built the garden shelter when I was away. The garden shelter is located in an area on our property that I’ve dubbed Wild Apple Woods, where I spent the winter creating trails. The trails had never been used for a specific purpose, or even a destination. Now they are!

By May, some of my furnishings had been changed.

The beautiful hanging baskets I saw when I first saw the shelter needed more sunlight than the wooded location could provide. I replaced them eventually with semi-trailing agapanthus.

Since then, I have changed the look of my shelter.

This spring, it was a perfect spot to listen to peepers. It was probably the last long time I sat on it. I sit on the bench, while I consider which branches I need to remove to improve my view. I’ve been busy moving spring ephemerals to places where they can be seen while sitting on the bench or walking to the shelter. I will soon be planting pagoda trout lilies on that mossy pathway. I’m looking for a vine that will climb the back. What are your suggestions?