The Greening of Cape Cod

Last week underneath a beautiful sun, Tim and I walked to find spring. As we passed our gallery, the daffodils said hello with their yellow heads...

...and as we drove away to discover our walk for the day, they waved at us along the edge of our woods.

We choose the Indian Lands in Dennis to see if the wild lady slippers were in bloom.

We entered the woods and followed a path covered with dry oak leaves and pine needles. In the woods, a mellow green curtain surrounded us; it was the first hint from Mother Nature that spoke of spring. This soft, fuzzy aura, up close, was only the curving and twisting stalks of wild roses but definitely green and welcomed.

A little further in, the verdant green of new moss made an appearance.

 The old grasses cascaded in small waterfalls over the fresh and beautiful moss.

It was a short two mile hike but well worth it. The slippers were not out yet but the views of the Bass River and marsh were stunning. We'll try again in a few weeks.

The heavy winds that came through last night, brought a dusting of snow and lower temperatures, so today I'm spending my time indoors writing and preparing for my next author event.
I will be speaking at the West Dennis Library on the anniversary of the 1717 wreck of the pirate ship Whydah on April 26 from 1 to 2pm.  I'll be discussing how the ship's demise along with pirates, treasure, and love influenced my historical novel, The Old Cape House.

When the wreck of the Whydah was discovered off the coast of Cape Cod in 1986 by Barry Clifford, people were skeptical about its origin. When he found the ship's bell, everything fit into place and another piece of the puzzle was added to the legend. During my talk, I will explore all the different versions about what may have happened to Sam Bellamy and Maria Hallett based on my research.

Here's a link to my wonderful interview with Madeline Holt on the cable TV show, Books of the World.
Books of the World - The Old Cape House

Another link to an online interview with Eleanor Parker is interesting, plus she asks me very different questions.
author online interview

If you haven't purchased and read The Old Cape House, here are some reviews...

The Old Cape House


from Judith on Amazon:
"This book was interesting and entertaining from cover to cover. Although I was familiar with the history and story characters, having read several books on the topic, this was my favorite of all. Very well written and a fun read."

from Christina Laurie on Amazon:
 "This compelling story kept me reading long into the night. The story switches between Sam Ballamy and Maria Hallett of the early 1700's and Nancy and Paul Caldwell, who move to the Cape in "present day." The old root cellar that ties Maria and Nancy together is a fascinating story of clever interweaving of two centuries. In her engaging tale, Author Barbara Struna imagines what COULD have happened in this saga of Sam and Maria. And I like Barbara's take. It's not as tragic as our Cape legends, but has grief. tension, suspense and, yes, love, in both centuries. It's a great read and an entertaining novel."