Martin’s Random Diary

Young Barney. 1994, Leavenworth, Kansas.   (click to enlarge)

Since my Mom is the one who puts most work into keeping the garden beautiful, it probably should be named after her. First let me explain the title of this entry. Barney, a Beagle I cared for, passed away in February 2004. We lived together for 12 years in a close relationship where — depending on the star lineup — either I or Barney ruled a day. Stubborn, funny, and very intelligent, Barney beat a deadly cancer in 2002. My Mom was just as close to him as I was.

Thanks to my Mom, Barney enjoyed home-cooked meals and enough love to melt an iceberg. Yes, there were evenings when after a long day I ate a frozen TV dinner while Barney was munching on a blend of organic rice, natural chicken, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and carrots. I think my Mom blended all those ingredients on purpose to prevent me from stealing his food because it all looked great prior to blending.

“Beagles will attempt to eat anything left within their reach” says “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beagles” given to me by Randy. (Randy, why didn’t you give me this book 10 years earlier?!) Here’s Barney after I woke him up from his nap on a dinner table. He ate everything that was left on the table and then just fell asleep.   (click to enlarge)

Barney’s passing was very difficult for both of us. Even today I have a lump in my throat when writing this and looking at his photos. To deal with our emotions, a month after he died we decided to build a garden in his name in my backyard.

The backyard in 2001, a year after I moved in to this house. In the back, a prime spot for “Barney’s Garden.”

Somehow the little “garden” turned into a 3-month project worthy of a labor camp. After digging through solid rock and laying down complex irrigation system, then hauling heavy rocks to define the garden, and finally pushing up the hill in a wheelbarrow a ton of soil, we had an outline of “Barney’s Garden.”

An outline of the garden in April of 2004.   (click to enlarge)

Then I brought in another ton of dirt and build a concrete pathway by hand from exactly 6,400 lbs of concrete that could only be carried in 80 lbs bags up the hill to my backyard. I think the concrete pathway was the time when I realized that beagles can drive their caretakers to the brink of madness even after they are gone.

After the pathway was complete I built a small ground-level deck by the garden. Another ton of top soil evened out the lawn with the pathway.

Almost there… The garden, the pathway and the deck are in place. May 2004.

The concrete pathway in May 2005. (click to enlarge)

The same pathway in May 2008. (click to enlarge)

Every weekend my Mom bikes to my house and works in my front- and backyard. Two years ago I decided that I have enough plants and that any new ones just add to a difficult task of keeping them alive. I think my Mom added about 30 new plants since then. They all look beautiful. And she takes good care of them.

The backyard garden now. May 2008.   (click to enlarge)

We placed Barney’s ashes under a big rock in the middle of the garden. I thought that it was a perfect spot because Barney used to trim my other flower beds by eating them. He carefully avoided all the weeds.

The backyard garden now. May 2008.   (click to enlarge)

There is a slope in the backyard and many native species thrive there. We are trying to be more aware and careful about what we plant so all flowers and plants are either native to Colorado or pose no danger to native species by spreading to natural habitats.

The backyard slope. May 2008.   (click to enlarge)

The backyard slope. May 2008.   (click to enlarge)

I used to remove all cactuses when Sharik, my other dog, was older because he would walk right into them. We now let them grow and spread.

The backyard slope. Prickly Pear Cactus just before it blooms. May 2008.   (click to enlarge)

So, there it is. A great backyard for us thanks to the independent thinker named Barney.

Barney. January 2003.   (click to enlarge)