Otter Creek runs north through Clarendon in no particular hurry, and the valley it opens between the Taconics and the Green Mountains is where this crew spends its days. Summer work here is mowing on ground that tips gently toward the water — long passes, a clean line at the edge of every walk, and the smell of cut grass hanging over the flats until evening. Come winter the same driveways go under, and the plowing starts in the dark so the road to Rutland is a choice instead of a problem. Augusta Lawn Care Services of Rutland handles both halves of the year: mowing, trimming and cleanups while things grow, plow and shovel once they stop. The aim is a yard you'd want to look at from the kitchen window, and a drive you can back out of at seven sharp.