Capitan sits in grass country under the long ridge of the Capitan Mountains, where ponderosa on the high slopes gives way to juniper and open pasture below. Summer arrives green here — the grass comes on strong once the rains start, and every yard in the village wants a mower on it. The work is straightforward and done carefully: cutting even, trimming close along fences, walks and porches, clearing the yard of what came down. Evenings cool off fast at this elevation, which makes for good working weather right up until dark. A lawn kept sharp against all that open country reads as a small, deliberate act of care.