The pitch pines up on the Jakes Branch ridge start letting go of their needles in September, and the light through them turns long and rust-colored by late afternoon. Keith's Lawn Maintenance is out under it — mowing, trimming, edging, and clearing the needle-and-leaf drift off lawns and walkways before it packs down. Fall is the underrated growing stretch around Toms River: cooler nights, softer sun, grass thickening while nobody is watching. Tending it then is what makes the following spring look effortless. Steady, unhurried, week to week, across town and the neighborhoods nearby.