"I often use the word "joy" when describing fireworks.  It is a considered word, deliberate in choice.  Not just amusement, entertainment, astonishment, but joy.  Our art makes us all into children again for a while.  We become one in our experience for the moment; lost in the sound and color and light. We see large forces, stronger than we could ever be, yet beautiful in their effects.  Sometimes violent, sometimes restrained.  Delicate beyond imagination at times, coarse and rude at others." -Bill Withrow      O.K., I admit it...I love getting to Pine Tree a little early in the morning and having the deck all to myself, especially when I need to quiet my mind. This time of year I enjoy watching the goslings trail their parents, tracing lines across the lake that fade into ripples. But this morning I had a bonus treat, because when I stopped into The Granary to refill my coffee, I got to sneak a sampling of Chef Dustin's Raspberry Cheesecake that he's making for "Artfully Delicious" next weekend. (Not your regular cheesecake, mind you, but a creamy mousse like confection that happens to also make a splendid breakfast, just in case you're wondering!)     However, my solitude was short lived when our resident photographer Jill caught me in her lens. So what could be better than eating cheesecake alone? Sharing it with a friend, of course! Therefore, I strongly encourage you, based on personal experience, to stop on by, breathe in the restorative view, and share something yummy with a good friend. Or, kick of your 4th of July weekend Friday night and visit us on Downtown Wooster's Square for Artfully Delicious. Yes, Dustin will have cheesecake, along with our signature lemon muffins and a great Steak Ciabatta sandwich. By the way, Pine Tree Barn is closed on Saturday, the 4th of July. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will get to enjoy some wonderful fireworks on my day off. For you and yours, I wish you a most enjoyable Fourth of July Celebration. "We anoint their fuses with a tiny amount of fire, and they come alive, playing out their life span in a matter or seconds.  In those few seconds a crack in the universe is opened, giving us a glimpse of the energy locked within all matter."     -Bob Weaver

Sample the Tastes of Wooster at Artfully Delicious July 3rd

   Please join us at Artfully Delicious – A Celebration of Food  and Arts is scheduled for Friday, July 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm on the Square in Downtown Wooster. The event will feature fifteen local restaurants, including Pine Tree Barn's Granary, sampling some of their most popular menu items. Visitors can purchase tickets for these special tastings in $1 increments on the day of the event.
   Live music from area musicians, pottery and art demonstrations, a caricature artist, and hands-on activities for children will be among the art offerings from the Wayne Center for the Arts and others. Several restaurants will also present cooking demonstrations by their chefs.
    Music will be provided by the Up River Band, featuring  Appalachian Mountain and Celtic Music with Dan Moorefield and Teresa Morrison; members of the Wayne County Performing Arts Council presenting Broadway and popular favorites; and the Jake BriggsBand, playing acoustic folk.
It’s a great way to kick-off the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Artfully Delicious is presented by Main Street Wooster and the Wayne Center for the Arts.
   For more information, call 330-264-ARTS (2787).  Wayne Center for the Arts is a non-profit arts organization established in 1973. Its mission is to strengthen the community by enriching people’s lives through the arts. The organization is located in the old Walnut Street School in downtown Wooster.  The Arts Center is funded in part by private support from patrons, foundations and businesses in addition to public funding by the Ohio Arts Council.