Find a little comfort in food and art this weekend

The stay-at-home order has been extended until May 18, but there's still plenty you can do. The weather this weekend lends itself to great opportunities to get outside. And once you're done enjoying the sun, check out some of our comfort food recipes.

Join us in a singalong of 'Here Comes the Sun'

We're doing it again! And again, and again! "Bring the Sing Home" will return for three more weeks, and on Friday, May 1 at 5:55 p.m. join us and Minnesotans everywhere for a statewide rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles. You can hear the song broadcast simultaneously on Classical, The Current and MPR News.

Okee Dokee Brothers move up album release to help families ease 'stay-at-home' time

Okee Dokee Brothers Justin Lansing and Joe Mailander. — Okee Dokee Brothers Justin Lansing, left, and Joe Mailander are releasing their new album “Songs for Singin’” two months early in the hope they will help families staying at home to pass the time and have some fun singing together.
Courtesy of Okee Dokee Brothers

The Minnesota-based family music band the Okee Dokee Brothers really believe in the power of singing together. So much so that, at a time when many performers are pushing back performances and releases, they moved up the launch of their new album by two months.

Chef Amy Thielen on cooking comfort food

Steam rises off of a bowl of red soup. — Hot-and-sauer soup is a comfort food for Minnesota chef Amy Thielen.
Courtesy photo from Amy Thielen

You might have noticed that flour and eggs can be hard to come by at certain stores. With millions of Americans staying at home, many have turned to stress baking. Chef and author Amy Thielen joined MPR for a conversation about cooking and comfort food.

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Speaking of comfort food, The Splendid Table has a whole collection of recipes you can try out, from chicken and pastry soup and chicken tot pie, to sweet potato and tahini soup and tot-stuffed pork meatballs (we might just find tater tots comforting).

Bandcamp will again waive fees to support artists

The company generated $4.3 million for artists when it paused the collection of a percentage of sales for a day in March — which it will repeat on May 1, June 5 and July 3.

Art Hounds: Work with your hands to calm your mind

A basket making kit next to an array of brightly colored drawings — If you're feeling anxious Art Hound Sarah Nassif recommends making something with your hands. She suggests assembling a coiled basket from a kit made by Teresa Audet, or coloring drawing sheets made Tia Salmela Keobounpheng.
Courtesy of the artists

Art Hounds recommend simple arts and crafts to meditate by, South Asian dance classes and the album "From Our World to Yours."

Backyard nature: 'Funny-looking birds' on Linnea's playset

An illustration of a wood duck
Jiwon Choi | MPR News

The strange birds on two young girls’ playset turned out to be wood ducks, but it brought their family a laugh, anyway. Have you been noticing signs of spring where you live? Share them with us here!

People walking outside near a river. — Groups of people walk along the Mississippi River while maintaining social distance at Upper Landing Park in St. Paul on Monday, March 24.
Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News

Minneapolis create low traffic loops for "Stay Healthy Streets"

The City of Minneapolis created "Stay Healthy Streets" in three geographical areas of the city (north, south, northeast). The streets on these routes would "generally be closed to thru car traffic but remain open for local resident access. ... some connection points will have parking restrictions on one side of the street to ensure space for walking, rolling and biking." Learn more at streets.mn's website.

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