October in Exeter carries a little salt in it, the air pushed up from Great Bay, and every yard in town starts letting go of its leaves at once. Yankee Clipper Yard Maintenance meets that season head-on — mowing while the grass still wants cutting, then raking, gathering and clearing until the lawns are bare and ready. Two months later the same driveways are under snow, and the plow goes down: pavement opened wide, walks shoveled to the door, sand and salt worked into the slick spots. There is pride in coming back to a property at dusk and finding the morning's work still holding. Exeter and the towns around it keep this crew busy in both directions of the year.