The mountain air around a lake invigorates and pleases me. I like a lake’s underwater life, such as minnows and trout, and I enjoy observing the plant around me. Most important, a lake usually has no chemicals because lake water is clean, natural, and more refreshing for swimming. I prefer swimming in a mountain lake.

The bird next to me was immature. He still had brown and tawny plumage instead of predominantly black color of the adult. For one thing, he may never have seen another human being. But there is a better explanation; in remote Galapagos Islands, there are hardly any land mammals, and the hawk is very nearly the sole predator. With no enemies and almost no competitors, it has nothing to fear and plenty to eat.

Last year, a cat traveled 130 miles to reach its family, who had moved to another state and had left their pet behind. Even though it had never been to their new home, the cat was able to track down its former owners. A dog in my neighborhood can predict when its master is about to have a seizure. It makes sure that he does not hurt himself during an epileptic fit. Compared to many animals, our own senses are almost dull.

Sometimes in the evenings, Bruno Mars would sit out in front of the ranch house near the cattle guards and play music. He would gather across the ditch and listen attentively. He liked to hear songs by Hank Williams, to which he would attempt to sing along by making little gurgling sounds deep in his throat. Occasionally, he would click his teeth if he played something with a beat to it.

Constructing a wedding cake is a complicated process. Before any baking takes place, the size of the cake and the decorative design to be used must be determined. Then the layers are baked. On a large cake the bottom layers may be as much as sixteen inches in diameter. Because of their size, these layers must be baked one at a time, a process which may actually take an entire day. Once the layers are cooled, same-size pairs are matched and frosted. Since large wedding cakes are surprisingly heavy, half-inch dowel rods must be measured, cut, and carefully driven into the bottom layers. These wooden posts provide hidden support for the weighty upper layers. When all the layers are set in place, flowers, garlands and leaves of frosting are added. These delicate touches individualize the wedding cake and transform it from merely a cake into a culinary work of art.