Down toward McCorrie Point the day ends slowly — the Sakonnet turns pewter, then copper, and the last hour of light lies flat across the lawns like it's measuring them. Ortelt Landscaping tends to be finishing then, the mower loaded, one more look down the length of a freshly cut edge. The work is straightforward and done thoroughly: turf mowed on a steady schedule, borders trimmed, mulch renewed so the beds read dark and defined, shrubs kept off the windows and walkways. Portsmouth properties shift character in a quarter mile, from open bay-view lawns that take the full wind to sheltered inland yards under old shade trees, and both get their own approach. Seasonal cleanups bracket the year at either end. What stays constant is a property that looks composed from the road.