The Little River eases through the Cook County flatwoods west of Sparks, and the morning air comes off it thick enough to wear. Evergreen Lawn & Tree Care works the yards around town — mowing, edging, string trimming, cutting back shrubs and clearing debris. Down here bahia and centipede run all summer in the wet heat, and a lawn can change character in a week. Starting at first light is less ambition than survival, and those early hours give the cleanest cut. By the time the day turns heavy, the yards are already standing straight.