The growing season this far north is short and bright: green in May, going hard until the maples turn, and then it is over. J&M Property Service LLC uses every week of it — mowing, trimming, edging and cleanups while the Cedar River country is green, then plowing, shoveling and ice work once winter takes the township back. There is a week in October when both jobs ride on the truck at the same time. Warm-weather work gets measured in even, striped lawns; cold-weather work in an open drive at six in the morning. Same property, same care, opposite skies.