October on the west side of Mount Vernon, under the rail viaduct, and the leaves come down in one long week. V & C Landscaping handles the turn — last cuts of the season, beds raked out, the lawn cleared so it can breathe through the cold, walks edged one final time. Earlier on it is the plain weekly rhythm: mow, trim, blow the concrete off, go. These are small properties on tight streets and the crew works accordingly, quick and unfussy. A yard put to bed properly in fall is the reason the following May looks easy.