The Continental Divide crosses just east of Thoreau, and the air up here has an edge to it even in the middle of summer. Dick Elkins Trading & Pawn keeps yards in that thin bright air: grass mowed while it is growing, trimming around posts and sandstone, weeds taken out of the gravel, the yard cleared of whatever the wind delivered. Sage and juniper hold this ground on their own; a lawn is a choice a household makes, and choices deserve upkeep. The season is short and the sun is strong, so timing matters as much as effort. A crisp border between green grass and red dirt is a fine thing to leave behind at the end of a morning.