Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. My friend Amani texted to say she and her baby are in town and would my work pal Sarah and I want to get together. Um, yes! Ayinde is seven months old, with chubby cheeks and stubby toes and four teeth and the most adorable pompadour of soft, auburn curls. I last saw him when he was a few weeks old and he’s grown a lot since then. He’s comfortable in public and happy to let strangers hold him. Amani is looking good, although she says she’s tired, which is understandable, given she only gets to sleep a couple hours at a time.

2. Rudi and I went to see Black Panther and it was so good. I was glad I’d read the Ta-Nehesi Coates reboot of the comic (although when I read it, I’d felt like it had dropped me into the story without sufficient back story), so I knew something about Wakanda and vibranium-based biotechnology and the Dora Milaje warriors. I got tired of the fight scenes toward the end, but otherwise I liked everything about it and would watch it a second time in the theater to take in the gorgeous scenery.

3. As expected the nearly 80-degree temperatures we had this week jump-started the daffodils. As we rode past Rose Park on the bike path below, we could see the clumps starting to emerge, and they’ve appeared in south-facing yards, as well. And I saw the pink tip of a hyacinth starting to poke out yesterday, too.

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