Ventnor's back alleys run the length of the island like a second set of streets, and that is where the morning work starts — gate open, mower down, the salt still damp on everything. Big joes landscaping keeps lawns on these narrow shore lots, where a yard is measured in steps and every square foot shows. Mowing, trimming and edging here mean working close to fences, hose bibs and outdoor showers without leaving a mark. By the time the block wakes up, the grass is cut short against the wind and the clippings are gone. It is a small green thing to give a house on a sandbar, and it holds.