Sigurd Our Golden Collie, and Other Comrades of the Road

A golden collie named Sigurd arrives at Cedar Hill and transforms a household in this collection of stories and poems first published in 1919. Katharine Lee Bates, better known as the author of 'America the Beautiful,' turns her poet's eye to the animal companions who shared her New England home, capturing the particular magic of watching a puppy discover the world: his noble ancestors guarding from portraits, his playful chaos among his nine siblings, his dawning understanding of love and belonging. But this is not a book only for dog lovers. Bates also writes with equal tenderness of birds and turtles, of the foundling cat who adopted her, of every creature who crossed her threshold. The writing carries the gentle humor and quiet wisdom of an earlier century, when time moved slowly enough to notice a dog's dreams and to mark the small griefs and great joys of sharing your life with animals who ask nothing but your presence. These are vignettes meant to be savored, perfect for a quiet evening or a rainy afternoon.