Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio welcomes Julie Zickefoose for a virtual presentation on Thursday, October 8th at 7:00 pm and the event is free to the public! Naturalist/artist/writer Julie Zickefoose thinks of herself as an unsung, minor, rather dirty superhero. Her superpower: saving small, economically worthless wildlife that would otherwise die. An orphaned jay named Jemima was one such foundling. Spending nearly a year healing, studying, and raising the young blue jay for release opened the door to their world for Julie. She began writing and illustrating Saving Jemima: Life and Love With a Hard-luck Jay immediately upon becoming her foster mother. More than a wildlife rehab story, it’s the story of life, love, and dealing with great loss; of finding grace and redemption in bonding with a wild bird. The live presentation will start at 7 pm ET via Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. More information and registration at www.stuartsoperahouse.org.

Julie Zickefoose lives and works quietly on an 80-acre wildlife sanctuary in the backcountry of Whipple, Ohio. She is a prolific writer and painter and Contributing Editor to Bird Watcher’s Digest. Natural Gardening for Birds, Letters from Eden, The Bluebird Effect, and Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest is joined by Saving Jemima: Life and Love With a Hard-Luck Jay, the intimate story of how an orphaned bird can save a soul.

Julie Zickefoose will speak about her new book and journey saving a young blue jay. Admission is free and open to the public, but donations to Stuart’s Opera House are welcomed and encouraged. Special thanks to the event sponsors: the Athens Area Birders, the Ohio Ornithological Society, White’s Mill, Scioto Valley Bird and Nature Club, and retired ornithologist Bob Scott Placier.