Thaw arrives in the river valley in stages: the south-facing slopes first, then the shaded north sides, then the low corners of a yard where meltwater stands for a week. Elemental Outdoor Services picks up where winter left things, raking out the matted grass and clearing the litter of the cold months, then mowing, trimming and edging once the ground has firmed enough to hold a wheel. Spring lawn work around South Moline is largely patience and timing, plus knowing which parts of a property wake up ahead of the rest. By the second cut a yard stops looking like it survived something and starts looking like it is growing. That turn is the best part of the year to be outside.