Spring in the White Mountains is not a gentle thing — the snow goes off the north sides last, the dirt roads turn to mud, and lawns come out of winter flattened and packed with needles. Y&L landscapes and Maintenance opens the year with the unglamorous part: raking the mat loose, carting off the debris, then taking the first cut that makes a yard look alive again. From there it settles into the long green stretch of mowing, trimming and edging that carries from May to the first freeze. Around Lakeside the lots run wide and pine-shadowed, and every one asks its own question about mowing height and timing. Giving back a yard that looks intentional is reward enough for a muddy April.