My thanks to Ms. Lainie Lewis of State Street Trading Co., and her granddaughters Addy and Reagan for dropping off delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies last Friday for the City of West Columbia sanitation crews working overtime to keep up with increased volume.

“Thank you from both the Sanitation Department and the Parks Department who are all working hard right now for the Sanitation Department,” said West Columbia Public Works Director Jamie Hook. “The cookies were delicious and the card you included was awesome.”

The covid-19 crisis has closed schools, gyms and even the mall. But it cannot stop spring. From the avenues and interstates to the streets and boulevards, spring is presenting itself to us, in full, vivid color.

The trees in a few days have morphed from dark brown and skeleton-like to translucent green, full of life and leaves.

Yellows, reds, purples, pinks, auburn and whites, the colors are bold. The beauty invades every neighborhood, regardless of status. Spring knows no social class. It makes itself available to all.

While the country may be staying home-to avoid this ugly virus, nature plays by its own rules. Even if the virus steals normalcy, nothing can take away the beauty and magnificence of Carolina in the spring.

Looking to support a local restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner? These local restaurants offer take-out and/or delivery: Zesto, Cafe Strudel, True BBQ, Nick’s House of Pizza, Ariana’s Restaurant, Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant, Palate, Black Rooster, China Hut III, Compton’s Kitchen, Primal Gourmet Kitchen and Market, Bricks and Stones Pizza, Mai Thai Cuisine, Rush’s, Grecian Gardens, DeLucca’s Italian Grill, Parkland Cakes, Buttercream Dreams, Hite’s BBQ, Eggroll Station, Lizard’s Thicket, Original Brunches, Jimmy’s Mini Mart, Manny’s, Maurice’s Piggie Park, Monterrey Mexican Restaurant and New Brookland Tavern.