April comes early down here on the Texas line, and by the time the dogwoods along the fence rows have opened, the mowing season in Red Lick is already underway. Mornings start cool and blue, a mockingbird running through his whole catalog, dew heavy enough to soak a boot before the first pass. Franco Family Lawn Care works those hours — mowing, trimming around the mailbox posts and the pines, edging the walk, then clearing the cuttings so nothing tracks inside. Miller County soil is sandy and quick to dry, so a yard rewards being cut on time and looks tired the moment it isn't. Pulling out at midmorning with the stripes laid even behind you is a decent way to start a day.