October along the Vestal Rail Trail turns the whole corridor gold, and every yard within a block of it gets its share of the leaves. Empire Lawn & Landscape Development clears them, closes out the mowing season with a final low cut and clean edges, then waits for the sky to change. When it does, the work becomes plowing, shoveling and salting, opening drives and lots against the valley's grey winter. Spring restarts it all with a cleanup and the first mow of the year, which always smells better than the last one did. Full circle, on the same properties, without a gap in between.