Spring comes to Deer Creek the way it comes to all of Tazewell County's small places: mud first, then a green so sudden it feels like a rumor. Kensil's Lawn Care starts the season right there, when the ground firms up near the creek the village is named for and the first cut fills the air with that sharp, sweet smell. Summer settles into a steady rhythm of mowing, trimming close along foundations, mailboxes and fence lines, and edging the walks. When October browns the yards, the leaves get cleared and the lawn is put to bed for winter. Deer Creek is a handful of streets under a lot of sky, and a cared-for yard shows from a long way off.