Monday, February 27, at four in the morning, the city of Basel’s Fasnacht celebration began. Fasnacht is the German word for Carnival, and Basel’s lasts three days. Yesterday morning, despite darkness, icy cold, and the painfully early hour, thousands of people lined the streets of Switzerland’s third largest city to watch groups of men andContinue reading “The Cold Days of Carnival”
Category Archives: Bern
Snow in Bern
Saint Nicholas Day came and went on December sixth, and winter still hadn’t come to Bern. Two days later, the fuchsias on my balcony were still opening their buds; there were new geranium blossoms, too. Then last Friday and Saturday it snowed, and since then the temperatures have remained below freezing. The snow is stillContinue reading “Snow in Bern”
Belonging
I’m a citizen of two countries, but I’ve never had to apply for naturalization. I acquired US citizenship when I was born and Swiss citizenship in 1988 when I married a Swiss. Becoming a Swiss isn’t normally so easy. In fact, even people who were born in Switzerland don’t get citizenship unless at least oneContinue reading “Belonging”
PESTICIDE in Your Ears
Great news! Pesticide audiobook comes out today. The Pesticide audiobook was produced by Tantor Media, and I was delighted to discover that they used two readers, Romy Nordlinger for Giuliana and Tim Campbell for Renzo. Nordlinger is a TV, movie, and stage actor (I think the word “actress” is gone, right?), and Campbell has won Audie andContinue reading “PESTICIDE in Your Ears”
Sons and Brothers
The freezing rains of late November and the icy rush of the Aare as it loops around the city of Bern set the scene for Sons and Brothers, the second Polizei Bern novel, which is due out on April 18, 2023, and can already be pre-ordered: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Sons-Brothers/Kim-Hays/9781645060581 In this book Giuliana Linder and Renzo DonatelliContinue reading “Sons and Brothers”
A Breeze by Any Other Name?
My family’s house in Old San Juan was built (probably around 1850) to admit as much breeze and as little sunlight as possible. Only one of the three thick double doors across the front opened to the street. The other two were blocked by decorative wooden bars, so they could safely be left ajar toContinue reading “A Breeze by Any Other Name?”
PESTICIDE in an Organic Garden
Where do you celebrate the publication of a book about organic farming in Bern? On an organic farm, of course. And if you want to party in the city so no one has to drive? Well, then you need a small organic farm—or, to be precise, an organic garden, ideally one that’s right in theContinue reading “PESTICIDE in an Organic Garden”
The End of the Ice Saints
Yesterday I planted a last batch of sweet alyssum on my balcony. Every scrap of space in my pots and boxes is filled. From now until the end of October, I can sit back, water, and watch the flowers grow. Most of my flower-planting, however, I did off and on between May 7 and May 15,Continue reading “The End of the Ice Saints”
The Latest News on PESTICIDE!
Hello, dear friends, family, and blog-post followers. I’m in New York for my book launch, and lots has been happening. But first: you are invited to the launch of Pesticide at the Mysterious Book Shop, 58 Warren Street (near the World Trade Center) in downtown Manhattan. It’s on Tuesday, April 19 at 6-7 p.m. ThereContinue reading “The Latest News on PESTICIDE!”
Switzerland’s Golden Girls—and Boys
The Beijing Winter Games ended Sunday night, and just when you thought you wouldn’t have to hear the word “Olympics” again until July 2024, you’re confronted with a post about Swiss skiing medalists. And I can’t even ski! Ah, but I’m Swiss, which explains it all. Okay, I’m a double citizen, Swiss/US, but when itContinue reading “Switzerland’s Golden Girls—and Boys”
Kim Hays 