Showers are over with hopes that the wind and rain will knock down the pollen a tad. The pollen may come down but the grass is coming up. With a dry out from now through Wednesday we're heading outside and into the yard for clean-up, cutting, fertilizing and weeding. Maintenance crews will also scurry from one house to another getting as many "cuts" as possible before sunset at 7:25. Keeping your equipment operating properly is the task of Ernie Butitta, his son Nick and other family members at K and D Rental on Old Hammond.  Ernie always provides excellent advice and closely monitors his business with conditions outside, relying on the Channel 2 Weather Team for further guidance. When I visit Ernie his recall is better than the State Climate Office when it comes to weather events.  He matches these events to the number of folks coming in the door or not coming in the door. He plans accordingly for chainsaws and generators for Katrina, Isaac and Gustav and also made the adjustments for the wet weather in 2015 and 2016.  He also remembers April 2001 as the hottest, steamiest April in his memory. A previous column from April 2 until April 16, 2001 verified daytime highs were well above 84 degrees with a record high of 88 on April 13. Our climate data always matches Ernie's predictions.