I missed writing Three Beautiful Things entirely last week for the first time ever, I believe, during its run on my blog. While travels may have gotten in the way of my posting schedule, it did not slow down beautiful things from happening. Here are three beautiful things from two weeks ago:

1. The Starbucks in Union Station is open early enough to permit me a tea and fritter to take aboard my 4 a.m. train ride.

2. Kate, one of the dyers of Woolarina Yarns, answers my email tale of woe of a second sock without enough yarn to finish. She doesn’t have an exact match, but has something she thinks maye work — which she generously mails to me for free.

3. Shelley and Mike are our easy friends from back in Connecticut. They’re very laid back and everything you suggest is almost always good. They and their kids, Daschel and Irisa, passed through D.C. two Saturdays ago and came into the city to spend the day. We walked and played a lot — on a very hot August day — and I introduced them to a couple of my favorite Asian restaurants (Teaism and Saigon Bistro) as well as to our awesome ice cream shop. Their go-with-the-flow attitude was refreshing in a region that’s not noted for that kind of relaxed approach to life.

I came home from Sock Summit with a lot of new yarn, tons of memories, a collection of tips and techniques — and a cold. Today’s three beautiful things may reflect that last bit the most:

1. A frozen coconut popsicle that numbs a sore throat.

2. Puffs Plus tissues with aloe that don’t rub your nose raw.

3. A sweet partner who goes out at midnight to buy you cold meds and ice cream when you have neither in the house.

Wow! It’s Thursday already and time for Three Beautiful Things from the last week:

1. Thursday night, we ate dinner in New York City with Erik, Eri, and ECN. We talked and laughed and listened and generally got caught back up on each other’s lives. It was just what such a gathering should be. The only bad things about the night? We forgot to take a picture to commemorate the moment, and, Rebs, we missed you!

2. Rudi and I got to Grounds for Sculpture just before a rainstorm plunked itself down over the park. Rain is such an insignificant word to describe what came down. Torrents. Deluge. Monsoon. Flash floods closed neighboring roads. By the time we got back to the car, I had to wring out my socks. But the water chased away all our fellow visitors, leaving Rudi and me alone to wade through 34 acres of sculpture and gardens and water features (some of which even existed before the storm). Honestly, it was such a fun, romantic way to spend the morning that I wouldn’t have traded it for the clearest, most sunshiny day.

3. I got to see Karen and meet Marshall, one month old:

Aren’t they perfect?

Oops! I somehow thought I was going to get back to a computer on Thursday so I could offer you three beautiful things from the road, but that didn’t end up being the case. Apologies to those of you who pop in here once a week looking for some upbeat content. Here, belatedly, are three beautiful things from last week:

1. Michael’s play, The Quick Brown Fox Jumped over the Lazy Dogs was excellent. I admit that I was worried it would feel dated, but Michael had written new material to keep it current and I feel like the audience got a lot out of it.

2. Rudi and I have been getting up each morning and watching the live stream of the Tour de France on the computer. Rudi has long been interested in the Tour and I have paid enough attention to be able to ask intelligent questions in years past. This year, though, I actively followed along and had many a nice moment cheering a particularly dramatic sprint or heroic mountain climb.

3. Peppers flourish in our garden and this season is no exception, when I doubled the number we normally plant. I stopped by on Wednesday afternoon to water and came home with a handful of hot peppers, as well as three beans.

Thursdays always bring three beautiful things from the past week:

1. Opening day for a movie (particularly a long anticipated one) is always cause for celebration — and sometimes a costume. I opted for a Tonksish appearance — skirt, sneakers, and t-shirt complemented by green striped socks, a black robe, and neon pink hair.

2. The deep end of the pool was uncrowded. I turned somersaults in the water to celebrate a warm Sunday evening.

3. There was a wee little movie that opened on Wednesday. Perhaps you’ve heard? I thought its ending lacked the emotional intensity of the book and, as always, too much was left out, but it may (just may; it’s too early for an official ruling) be my favorite of the bunch.

What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

It’s Thursday, glorious Thursday! I present you with three beautiful things from my world this past week:

1. The weather has been gorgeous. Mid-July in the mid-Atlantic usually is muggy and unbearable with the occasional thunderstorm to break up the 3 H’s. This last week? Mostly sunny. Highs in the 80s. Overnight temperatures in the 50s and 60s. Low humidity. I’m thinking this might be what summers are like in the Elysian Fields.

2. Saturday night, Rudi and I pedaled down to the Potomac to watch the fireworks. We found a deserted (!) stretch of grass next to a very nice Mr. Lincoln from Illinois and watched what turned out to be, we thought, the best pyrotechnic display since we moved to the District. A slight breeze blew the smoke away from the Mall, so we had an unobscured view of the show with the Washington Monument in the background. It was a magnificent way to mark our country’s birthday.

3. I discovered a box in the fridge this morning when hunting for blueberries. Its contents? Forgotten fudge from our trip to the shore last month. Rudi and I have been sampling its contents for dessert tonight, and I’m delighted to tell you that aging fudge does great things for it.

What’s been beautiful in your world this week?