September along the river road turns the light low and gold, the water going pewter beside it, the grass finally growing at a reasonable speed again. Elite Landscaping spends those weeks mowing, edging and trimming, then turns to leaves as the whole corridor drops them at once. Come winter the trucks carry plows for driveways and lots, walks are shoveled out, and salt goes down ahead of the refreeze. What stays with a crew is the after picture: a lawn cut in even bands, or a parking area open to the asphalt while it is still snowing. The river runs past all of it, constant and indifferent, which is a fine thing to work beside.