The ground around West Branch is sandy — jack pine country, quick to drain and quick to go pale in a dry stretch of late July. G H Lawns inc. mows to suit it, carrying the blade high when the heat sets in so the turf keeps its color and the roots stay shaded. Trimming, edging and the seasonal cleanups fill out the rest of the calendar across Ogemaw County. There is a particular hour near seven in the evening when the light comes in low and every stripe on a fresh-cut lawn stands up sharp. Worth stopping the truck at the end of the drive to look back at.