Charlotte sits on heavy clay, and an October morning proves it — dew standing on the blades, oak leaves pasted flat across the back lawn. Grind and Ground, LLC starts early anyway, mowing and mulching down the leaf litter, trimming the fence lines, cutting the edges back to their true shape. By the time the sun clears the rooftops the yard has gone from cluttered to composed, which is the entire point of the trip. Fall cuts are slower and more satisfying than summer ones; you can see the season change under the deck. The work covers Charlotte and runs out to Olivet, Bellevue and Eaton Rapids.