Southern Illinois mornings in June come with dew heavy enough to soak a boot and a mist sitting in the low ground until the sun burns it off around nine. Johns Lawn Care starts in that hour, mowing while the air is still cool, then trimming and edging as the cicadas take over the afternoon. Grass on the edge of the Shawnee hills grows fast and unevenly — deep shade under the hickories, full sun out at the road — and a good cut is the one that makes the whole yard read as a single piece. Autumn brings the leaves down all at once after the first cold snap, and clearing them is the last act of the season. Creal Springs, Stonefort, Goreville and the surrounding Williamson County countryside are home ground.