Meet Adelheid Wyss.
Explore 16th-century Switzerland through the eyes of Adelheid, discovering the cultural nuances and historical events that shaped her world. Traverse the cobbled streets of Zurich and the tranquil Swiss countryside, gaining a sense of the captivating landscapes that ignited her creativity.
Born in the alpine region of the Bernese Oberland, she now lives as a widow in Zurich. Her children have taken over her husband's trade, and although she helps, her main activities are to work for the nearby church, to help look after her children's families, and to take in occasional travelers. She is also known for providing herbal remedies and her straightforward bedside manner makes her advice and counsel sought by all sorts of people.
As a young girl in the Oberland, Adelheid learned much from her mother and father - how to keep house, animal husbandry, baking, cheese-making, and about the natural plants and world around her. When she matured into a young woman, she wanted to move to the city to wed a handsome and moderately successful man. Saddened by his death, she continues to live in the house they shared, and is fortunate to have three hard-working and bright sons.
She has an unwavering love for nature and the wonders it holds. Her excursions into the Swiss countryside allow her to explore the beauty of the land she calls home. Although outwardly stern and cheerless, she is an empathetic and inquisitive soul who cares deeply for her community. Having been raised on the mountainside, she has an innate rural practicality towards treating ailments, whether physical or emotional, that draws people to her.