Welcome to 2015, the year of the goat!

Do you have any idea how excited I was to learn that February 19, 2015 marks the start of the Chinese year of the goat?

(Do you know me in even the slightest bit, and/or do you ever read this blog? If you answered "yes" or even "maybe" to one or both of those questions, you probably have quite the idea how excited I was to learn this.)

First things first. We've seen references to the "year of the goat, also known as year of the sheep, ram."

Now, we mean absolutely no offense to our Chinese friends - it's YOUR culture, it's YOUR year, interpret it however you want.

But for the record - THIS is a goat:

smarter than your average bear

(the goat, not Patrick.. actually, Patrick too)

This? NOT A GOAT:

dumb as a box of nails

(the sheep, not Patrick)

Okay, now that we've cleared that up, we hereby bring you GOATS OF THE WORLD! Enjoy.

cheerleader goat

(Eagle Hill, Alberta, Canada)

regal goat

(Quebec City, Canada)

sweetest goat EVAH in the history of all goats

(Wakefield, Quebec, Canada)

adorable plum-eating goats

(Nemcicky, Czech Republic)

curious goats

(Picos de Europa, Spain)

tree-climbing goats

(Essaouria, Morocco)

shy goats

(Phong Nha, Vietnam)

"whatever, I'm eating" goat

(Sapa, Vietnam)

focused goat

(Luang Prabang, Lao)

headbutting goats

(Pai, Thailand)

goat TV

(Mae Sariang, Thailand)

baby goats

(Pratchum Khiri Khan, Thailand)

first Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

second Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

third Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

fourth Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

fifth Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

sixth Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

seventh Nepalese goats

(Annapurna Circuit, Nepal)

pygmy goats

(Waikoloa, Big Island, Hawaii)

smiley goat
(South Point, Big Island, Hawaii)

Goats were strangely absent from our photos from Portugal, Turkey, Cambodia and Australia. That clearly means that we need to go back to those countries and spread the goat love...

Happy 2015!