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Celtic Life at the Old Mill Cottage - Pippin & Seren

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Overview

This is special edition, signed by Jen Delyth Small batch publishing.

Written by Fred Clough
Illustrated by Jen Delyth
8.5" x 8.5" Black & White Text Illustrations
Full Color SOFT or HARDBACK Laminated Cover
Fully Illustrated with Celtic Art throughout by Jen Delyth
202 Pages -
Published by Ninth Wave Publishing

Price: $25.00

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Product Description

Pippin and Seren - Life at the Old Mill Cottage

Pippin and Seren fred clough & jen delyth

A most remarkable book which will delight children and adults alike.

The stories of two Shelties - Pippin and the puppy Seren - are set in the Welsh countryside.
Enjoy their adventures in the woods and garden, excursions to the beach and Dog Shows, and conversations about Life at the Old Mill Cottage. Pippin shares his wisdom with the curious young Seren, teaching her 'people talk', and ‘dog talk’, sharing life in the garden with the birds, the fox, the rabbits, and ‘making friends’.

Charming and insightful text by Fred Clough is supported by beautiful illustrations by Jen Delyth which also reflect that Celtic tradition.

This book is inspired by the adventures and reflections of a wise old Sheltie dog Pippin, and Seren - the Star Puppy, who came to live with him at the Old Mill Cottage, Wales. Pippin tries to teach her to grow up properly, but he has his work cut out. He is also a bit of a rogue himself!
Charming stories of a developing relationship between two Sheltie dogs are set in the Welsh countryside. Share their adventures in the woods, lessons in the garden, the dog show, family frolics and much more....

Pippin and Seren - their story

Pippin and Seren fred clough & jen delyth

The Shelties at the Old Mill Cottage have a story to tell....
One day a little Sheltie puppy arrived at the Old Mill Cottage to be a new friend for Pippin because he was so lonely. She was only two months old, and very beautiful with her bright silver and grey coat, and snow-white collar. She was called Seren, which is the Welsh word for Star.

One of the most important lessons Pippin had learned, was to guard his garden and inspect it all over each day on the lookout for strange visitors. He made it his job to patrol the garden, sniffing around the bushes and flowers and fences for smells of dogs, cats or rabbits, and around the sheds, where unwanted mice or rats or other creatures might be hiding beneath the floor.

Reviews

"Life at Old Mill Cottage is truly idylic, filled with such fun and a love of life in general. There is pathos where Pippin the wise old sage, reflects about his mother and endeavours to impart his wisdom to the young Seren. A book of joy which is so refreshing in todays troubled world.
This lovely tale cannot end here. I look forward to the sequel" - Fran Sinfield

What a truly delightful book! I really enjoyed reading it, very lighthearted and uplifting. Once I started I didn't put it down till I'd finished it. Very realistic and shows many sides of our lovely dogs, how they may think and act, and possibly why. I think any age would enjoy the read - I'm sure I will read it again!
Pat Ferrell - ASSA Historian (Am Shetland Sheepdog Assoc)

The latest contender for favorite status is just out. Pippin and Seren: Life at the Old Mill Cottage is Fred Clough's gentle fiction in tribute to the real-life dogs that he and his wife Mair have raised here in Gower at their picture-book cottage. Lower Mill is a happy home for the dogs and their humans where 'it is always harvest time in the vegetable garden' (the cats fare better here than in my other choices too). What started as a single story has grown into a full-sized book of nature notes, adventures, dog shows, family gatherings and seaside freedoms, all beautifully illustrated by Jen Delyth - a Welsh artist who just happens to be Fred & Mair's daughter. Chess enthusiast Fred has published plenty of techniclal articles. I hope this delightful foray into fiction is the first of many"
Debbie Lloyd - Review Parish Magazine of Llangennith - January 2011

"I have recently received a copy of a book entitled "Pippin and Seren - Life at the Old Mill Cottage". It is a story of two Shelties, Pippin the older dog, and the new puppy Seren who came into his life when his dam MIsty died, and follows several short stories of their lives and adventures together.
The book is written by Fred Clough who owns Pippin and Seren together with his wife Mair, and it is delightful. It is actually written for children, is easy to read, and comes with illustrations by Jen Delyth. I have started to read it with our granddaughter and am enjoying it as much as she is.
Those who have lived with Shelties for many years will be able to relate to many of the escapades of Pippin and Seren - especially the naughty ones! It is beautifully presented in a glossy cover and printed on good quality paper with very clear print.
Barbara Thornley - Dogs's World January 28th 2011

Hello..I read your book ...it was something wonderful. I can't imagine that you can write so nice and lovely language. I understand all your inside feelings, because so simple language can write only people with very deep feelings... whos not read from books or listening from other people. That book was the best of all my Christmas present..
With respect...
Elga - Latvia

"Pippin and Seren - Life at the Old Mill Cottage" written by Fred Clough.
Fred tells stories about their two Shelties, Pippin - an elderly gentleman, and Seren the puppy who joins the family to be his companion. Beautifully presented, and well worth a read. It is illustrated by Jen Delyth and published by Ninth Wave Publishing."
Christine Aaron "Our Dogs" February 2011

Articles

Pippin and Seren – Life at the Old Mill Cottage – by Fred Clough
Global Shelties Magazine - February 2011

For many years we have loved and shared our lives with Shelties in our family, sometimes one, sometimes two, including breeding two chubby little puppies. About two years ago after our ten year old bitch Misty sadly died, leaving Pippin all alone, we decided it would be good to provide him with a new companion. My wife Mair found a beautiful eight-week-old Blue Merle Sheltie bitch of good pedigree - Seren (the Welsh word for Star) - who she hoped to 'show', and perhaps breed one day.

It was fascinating watching the old dog Pippin and the new puppy Seren interact in their new relationship - I could not resist putting words into their mouths, and so the story “Pippin and Seren – Life at the Old Mill Cottage” was born!

I imagined their 'conversations' as Seren sought to learn from Pippin with incessant questioning, and Pippin taught her how to behave properly, what to expect from 'people', and about her new life at our Old Mill Cottage in Wales. One could almost hear Pippin saying:
"Leave me alone you young pup. Don't you jump all over me, can’t you see I want a bit of peace?"

Soon the stories revealed their imaginary (and real) adventures in the woods and garden, excursions to the beach and Dog Shows, and conversations about Life at the Old Mill Cottage. Pippin shares his wisdom with the curious young Seren, teaching her 'people talk', and ‘dog talk’, sharing life in the garden with the birds, the fox, the rabbits, and ‘making friends’.

“One day a baby rabbit came hopping across the lawn in front of Seren’s very eyes. Pippin was away exploring in the bushes. Seren stood amazed, then she approached it slowly and playfully as if not to frighten it. But it quickly dashed away through the fence to safety when an angry Pippin arrived. Perhaps Seren wanted to make a friend of the little rabbit too!”

I enjoyed portraying their different personalities, having hopes and dreams as well as fears. Seren questions Pippin: -

"You have lots of wonderful memories, but do you have dreams?"

"Yes I have dreams, but not like Misty. She had nightmares, I have daydreams. I used to dream that I could be a cat."

Seren burst into giggles when she heard this. "What a silly dream. I thought you didn't like cats?"

"You know I loved Dusty, and I thought I'd like to live his way, being wild and free. He could go out into the fields and hills whenever he wanted, never on a lead, and he could find his own food by hunting. …I can't feed myself like cats. I wish I could... So I had a better dream. Every time I look out there across the road to the sheep fields, I wish I were a real Working Dog, out in the fields all day..."

Of course they have their share of fun and mischief, especially in Dad's precious vegetable garden: -

"We are going to have some fun now” Pippin chuckled.
"Let's pull and tug at those bean plants to make the whole row shake - just like you do shaking your floppy bunny Seren"

I wrote because the Shelties inspired me, and I enjoyed being under their spell. The stories reflect their real life setting in the Welsh countryside, supported by beautiful illustrations by our daughter Jen Delyth which also reflect that Celtic tradition. Although originally conceived as a dog storybook for children, “Pippin and Seren – Life at the Old Mill Cottage” has been appreciated by readers of all ages.