Probably the first thing one's eyes were drawn to in Ace's backyard was the humongous wall that looms over it -- a vast grey expanse of cinder block that makes up one side of a neighboring warehouse.

Not that Ace minded it much, but as part of the yard-pimping, we decided to address it, and bring some birds into the yard at the same time. 

Ace likes watching birds. And I like watching Ace watching birds.

So we started building birdhouses -- using scrap wood, limbs trimmed from the big out of control tree out back, and a bit of imagination. My son and I focused on the guitar birdhouse (above right); my girlfriend churned out most of the rest.

By placing them along the backside of the warehouse, it helped create a focal point that took attention away from the big blur of grey.

On top of that, we figured it would protect future generations of baby robins, like the ones born under my neighbor's deck, from the fate that befell one of them when something knocked the nest down.

We've haven't seen anyone move in yet, but a few birds have been checking them out.

Meanwhile, after pondering the project for months, I finally started in on the fence, with my son's help. We managed, through wisely shopping for wood and supplies, to build it for less than $150, unless you're my landlord, in which case it cost $1,000. (And could you please move that car?)

Other than that, it was just a matter of some flowers, some watering and lots of hard work -- again most of it not by me (but then I was busy documenting the transition, you see) -- to fully pimp Ace's yard.

He seems pleased with it. He likes to lay out and watch birds, like he did in Montana, keep an eye out for invading rodents, lay on the cool paving stones amid the hosta, and hang out by the grill in hopes something meaty will get dropped.

As you can see, he's a much happier mutt.