While heading over to check out the Free Table at the Good Shepherd Center (you would not believe the amazing stash of brand-new Beanie Babies there, by the way), I stumbled across a goat:
Evidently, goats don’t like rain so she and her owner were sheltering under a bush. But, what were they doing there? Turns out, they were guests of Seattle Tilth’s “City Goats 101” class being held run by Jennie Grant, Founder and President of the Goat Justice League which legalized goat-keeping in Seattle (that pale blue elbow in the right of the lower photo is Jennie’s).
Rachel, Violet’s owner, says goats are intelligent companions that provide milk and also good garden manure – not to mention keeping the weeds down. Violet is a Mini Mancha which is compact, calm and a good breed for the city.
After nibbling on my backpack and snacking on the bush next to her, Violet turned to her serious work as a spokesgoat for the goodwill of her species.