There are two big weeks in Leelanau — the one in May when the cottages open and the one in December when the roads go narrow — and both of them land on whoever keeps the property. Northern Lawn Maintenance & Resort Services works both sides: mowing, edging, trimming and seasonal cleanups from thaw to leaf-fall, then plowing and shoveled walks once the lake turns everything white. Around Maple City and Cedar many places sit empty for stretches, and a yard shows neglect faster than a house does. Arriving to a mowed lawn, or a drive already opened, is the difference between a place that waited for you and one that didn't. That is worth the early hours.