BIRD ART In times of uncertainty, “put a bird on it!” The Golden Gate Audubon Society’s Annual fundraising event, the Birdathon, was cancelled due to coronavirus so they’re bringing their auction online. To help the artists, many of whom are struggling financially during this time, GGAS will split the proceeds with them 50-50. You can option gorgeous pieces like a serene oil on canvas painting of chickadees by Bella Bigsby, vibrant prints and calendars of birds and natural life by Rigel Stuhmiller, and geometric digital prints of varied winged creatures by Scott Partridge. The auction also features unique three-dimensional pieces like papier maché sculptures of sparrows and robins by Nancy Overton. Bring the spirit of the outdoors into your home while supporting Bay Area artists and organizations. The Birdathon 2020 auction runs from May 17 to June 1.
SCIENCE ACADEMY If you’ve ever wanted to bring the California Academy of Sciences home with you after a visit, you’re in luck. Their online program Academy @ Home offers nearly all the knowledge and expertise that the museum has in-person. This week’s theme is outer space, so they’re giving virtual tours of the galaxy and live-streaming their Moon Explorers program for kids five and under. You can also listen to their podcast of the week, where they discuss how NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is searching for planets near Earth. Academy @ Home also features weekly Virtual NightLife events, an experimental showcase where experts talk about topics ranging from the wilderness to the nature of togetherness. Read more about the initiative on Bay Nature.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR Just because we can’t be together doesn’t mean we can’t sing together. While the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir can’t present their concerts in person, they’ve taken to Zoom and YouTube to put on performances that are just as lovely in a digital format. This Saturday, the choir will present a virtual concert with a jazz theme, where the singers will entrance viewers with jazz vocals, lighthearted contemporary numbers, and a cappella. You can see the choir perform in all different configurations from solos, duets, and small groups. Be prepared to be swept away by the beautiful voices of these young East Bay singers. Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m. on their YouTube channel.
ASK AN ARCHAEOLOGIST Do you have a burning question about archaeology? With the the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology’s Ask an Archaeologist program, staff members of the museum have conversations with experts based at the Archaeological Research Facility at UC Berkeley and other institutions around the world. You can learn about topics ranging from how animal skulls can teach us about the senses to the challenges of excavating ancient field sites to the use of ground-penetrating radar to map buried artifacts. Before and during each live-streamed talk on YouTube, you can go on their online forum and type a question that the archaeologist will answer during the chat. Ask away and dive into the world of archeology with this interactive format. Tuesday, May 19, 12 p.m. and other dates.
HERBAL ZINE Our time in the wild can inspire natural recipes. Fat and Moon, an herbal body care company based in California, has created a zine of immunity-boosting recipes for natural foods and remedies made with ingredients you can get from trips to the garden and the natural grocery store. It’s called the Herbal Resistance Zine. You can make their Sicky Syrup from elder twigs, dried rosehips, goji berries and cardamom seeds, among other ingredients. You can find other fun recipes like garlic and dandelion tree pesto, rosemary mandarin marmalade, burdock pickles and a potent vinegar with garlic, ginger, turmeric, horseradish, and lemon. This zine can inspire you to cultivate your health through nature.
