September on the Ortley Beach side: the crowds thin, the light turns amber, and the lawns finally get a rest from sun, salt and bare feet. Atlantic Home Services mows, trims and edges through it, clearing away the sand and clippings that drift in off the dune line. Grass this close to the ocean lives a harder life than grass four miles inland, and it shows in how closely it has to be tended. Toms River's barrier stretch and its mainland streets both get put back in order week by week. There is a particular pleasure in the last pass of the day, when the shadows go long and the yard reads as finished.