Fitting in is over-rated. The things that make you weird are the same things that make you wonderful. Thanks to my partner, Adam Green, for the fantastic photograph of a sassy goat amongst some sheep in Haryana, India.
Let your soul shine.
Sometimes, you just got to do your own thing, go your own way, and be your own best friend. It’s good to be part of a group or a community, but occasional solitude has its benefits as well. It can give you a chance to reboot, refocus, work out the kinks and solve problems, and even improve your relationships with others. Don’t worry that you are keeping yourself from those you care about, the better you take care of you the better you can be for those you care about.
Drink as you pour, nourish yourself so you can best nourish those most important to you.
A few years ago while surfing the web, I came across the most amazing thing: The Oxford Cambridge Goat Race. This event takes place yearly at Spitalfields City Farm in London, UK. I have been an avid follower of the race ever since. Infact, if it weren’t for the Oxford Cambridge Goat Race, you would not be reading and (hopefully) enjoying Goat of the Day, as the inspiration for this blog came from the race’s Facebook page that often posts a daily goat in the weeks leading up to the big event. This year, the race is set to take place on Sunday, April 7th. In addition to the goats, there are lots of fun activities at the farm, food, and a lovely mariachi band. I highly recommend it.
An action shot from the 2018 Goat race. The 2019 race promises to be the event of the season!
It is super cold in many parts of the world right now. I highly recommend investing in some outerwear to keep you feeling cosy and looking fabulous. Unfortunately, humans do not grow luxurious coats on their own, like some goats do.
Looking fab helps keep me cheery during the dreary winter months!
Say what you will about nurses, garbage collectors, or mechanics it’s obvious that were they to vanish in a puff of smoke, the results would be immediate and catastrophic. A world without teachers or dockworkers would soon be in trouble, and even one without science-fiction writers or ska musicians would clearly be a lesser place. – David Graeber
The world is a better place because of you.
We are entering the depths of winter, when the temperature drops and the snow may fall. It is tempting to retreat inward and hibernate, but neither goats nor humans are solitary creatures. Take care of yourself, but brave the weather, there may be a delicious hot beverage out there somewhere to share with a friend!
Venture out into the cold, you never know what wonderful adventures you might find!
I don’t know about y’all, but goats sure do spark a lot of joy in my life.
I wonder how many goats Marie Kondo would recommend for a joyful life?
Two years before I knew I would actually be living in Cambridge, U.K., I discovered something amazing on the internet: The Oxford-Cambridge Goat Race. During this time, I was not involved in photographing goats, making inspirational internet posts, or the wide world of information on our caprine friends. However, I was fascinated by the concept of a goat race, and immediately placed the Oxford-Cambridge Goat Race on my life’s bucket list. One day in the early springtime at Spitalfields City Farm in London, one goat representing Oxford and one goat representing Cambridge race. The event includes live music – including mariachi bands, some delicious foods, and loads of goats. I was lucky enough to attend this event in 2017 and 2018, where I met Bramble.
Bramble was a Golden Guernsey Goat, a rare breed goat known for its golden goat, with moderate milk yield good for cheese and yoghurt production. The Spitalfields Facebook page described Bramble as a “matriarch of the herd” and was well known for her strong spirit. Sadly, Bramble passed away earlier this week. I looked through my archive and found this photograph of her from 2017, running the yard, prepping her farmyard friends for the big race day. Rest in peace, Bramble. If you are keen, you can donate to Spitalfields City Farm on their Facebook page.
Goodbye to a caprine friend ❤
Perhaps not so long ago, there was a longstanding belief in fairies. Fairies were small, sometimes kind or sometimes mischievous beings with magical powers that sometimes offered assistance to humans. In Welsh folklore, a particular family of fairies, the Tylwyth Tag, were known to comb the beards of goats on Fridays to prepare them for Sundays. It is certainly unsurprising that creatures known for mischief would be associated with goats, and perhaps this is a cute way to explain why most goat beards appear to be so silky and straight, as though fresh from the fairy salon.
What a fantastic beard.
There is something about the cold, damp days of January and February that always makes me want to hibernate. However, everyday the sun rises a smidgen earlier and sets a smidgen later. There is always something to look forward to, even if it’s an extra few moments of sunshine.
Get yourself up and out even if it’s cold!
Goat of the Day 