I’m having a melancholy evening, so it’s good to think back on my past week and find three of the beautiful things from it:

1. Friends have been sharing the beautiful things going on in their lives — new houses, positive diagnoses, vacations now and in the future — and I’m thrilled for all of them and appreciative that they want to share their good fortune with me.

2. We’ve been watching the Tour de France (as we do every year), and this week has been full of sunflower coverage (they also show castles, churches, naked spectators, and cyclists).

3. Fort Reno is a park built on the grounds of one of D.C.’s Civil War-era fortifications, is the highest point in the city and home to a decades-old summer punk concert series. This makes it an excellent spot to watch unencumbered summer sunsets while bands perform for free. Monday evening got an positive rating for weather, view, and music, all of which outdid themselves.

and a bonus:

4. Rudi trimmed off the beard he grew after his surgery.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world recently?