New furry family members have survived first vet visit. Baker T (for Twiddle Toes) ate vet treats. Vanilla Bean did not.

Actual photo of me and my husband.

My Thanksgiving movie choice: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. A movie about gratitude, the stunning beauty of the world, and oxygen choices.

Pickle update: I had pickles! And then I think I left them to ferment too long and TLDR: the daikon was soft and I became afraid of my pickles. They might have been fine. But I would rather lose a batch and try again than make myself sick and have a negative pickling experience. Farewell pickles!

Fermenting lesson learned: don't trust the moat water. It gets sassy and tries to climb the inner walls to taste the pickles. Moat water was doing unauthorized siphon / suction experiments this morning, but disaster stopped by a paper towel and good jar design.

First experiment with pickling. Will report back on whether I get pickles or new fuzzy frens.

Everyone should try doing something fashionably flamboyant at some point. It is amazingly freeing to silence your own insecurities with the realization that all the points and whispers and giggles are not personal attacks but just strangers enjoying your fashion choice from a distance.

Snapped a photo of ducks in flight just to see if I could catch them as they flew by. I was more interested in the pelican colony on the island, but this is my first photo with reflections of birbs in flight.

Good thing I left a little early for my appointment. Took a few minutes for this unexpected road obstruction to clear.

Still finding dough from cream cheese mints scattered all over my kitchen. Does this count as added sugar to my banana? >.<

Making cream cheese mints with my son. Combine 2 lbs of powdered sugar, 8 oz of cream cheese, 10 drops mint extract, and a few drops of food coloring (if desired). Add 2 hours of pressing dough into shape with granulated sugar lined molds. That's it! Happy New Year!

Pulled out my bento tools for the first time in a while. Behold the cuteness! Shiitake mushroom stuffed panda onigiri (rice balls) with apple bunnies and grapes.

Went walking this morning and got a nice picture of birbs on thin ice.