Monday, May 28, 2012

The Harkness Table - Strawberry Trifle

We spend a lot of time around the table - all kinds of tables in all kinds of places with all kinds of family and friends. We are grateful for each and every opportunity. Recently we have been gathered at various tables for Jay's graduation, Mother's Day, some Raleigh birthdays, and celebrating Jackson and Mary Beth's upcoming wedding. Lively conversation has taken place around each and every table.

So I was intrigued by something I stumbled upon on the internet the other day - The Harkness Table. Like many times I was looking up something else that I can't even remember now when I learned that The Harkness Table is a big oval table that seats 12 or 13 people and is central to the Harkness method of teaching. Philanthropist Edward Harkness developed the Harkness Method at Phillips Exeter Academy and described his vision. "What I have in mind is a classroom where 12 or so students could sit around a table with a teacher...conference style....where each student would feel encouraged to speak up."

When I mentioned this to Judy she said, "Well isn't that what we have always done around the Hunt Table?"

So true. We have had lively, spirited, conversation around the old picnic table in the Hewitt House kitchen; the chopping block, the walnut lazy susan or the cherry dining table on Peachtree Road; the pine lazy susan or a folding card table in Raleigh; Uncle Howards pine table and Margaret Royster's oval table on Fairway Drive and all kinds of tables at Lake Lure.

Recently we had some unexpected conversation starters around the table. Since we knew several people who were graduating high school and college, I had bought some motivational graduation cards to give. But Friday night before graduation, David IV and KC had arrived and the Mayos came over so of course we had dinner around the oval table. After dinner, I passed the graduation cards around the table and asked each person to interpret a card. After going around one time, we passed the cards to the right and did it all over again. It was funny and interesting and so the next night we did it again with a different group of people. Ben was in town by then and when the card came to him, he got a mischevious look in his eye and pretended to read his card, but instead quoted from a rap lyric. You just can't ever tell what someone will say. That's what makes it interesting.

At the Hunt Table we were always encouraged to speak up. Not that we needed that much encouragement. For a family involved, or maybe immersed, in politics, each of us learned early on that not everyone will agree on every subject but free and respectful discussion is allowed - and important. The discussion isn't always political. Sometimes we venture into religion too. If things get a little touchy we can always revert back to discussing food. Or more likely Mama will remind us that "that's why they make chocolate and vanilla". With the political season heating up right now, I wish everyone had a Harkness/Hunt Table. And Mama to mediate.

And speaking of Mama, for Mother's Day weekend we were lucky to have both David's mother and mine over with family from both sides for a casual Saturday night supper. Everybody brought a dish and as usual that made it easy and delicious. On Saturday nights, Mama has a standing date. Daddy says he wants to make sure we understand that they are in a groove not a rut. But every Saturday night Mama wants to watch Lawrence Welk. Lawrence hasn't been around for a good while but his reruns are. So David dvr-ed the show and after supper we gathered around the TV with Mama and Daddy to listen to champagne music and watch Lawrence's musical family. Wunnerful Wunnerful. The show was a rerun of the Mother's Day show from 1956. In 1956 David and I would have both been about 3 months old. My how time flies.

Not everyone was in town for the Mother's Day supper because our family has had another baby explosion. Will, Anna and Little Will have welcomed beautiful little Laney into the world. Paul, Amy, Kai and Melia have a family of five with the addition of handsome Brycen. It's amazing and wonderful to watch our family grow in all directions. Each and every addition brings another interesting voice to the table. We'll just keep adding more chairs.

Not all of the chairs added to the table are for babies. We keep adding spouses too. Jackson has brought Mary Beth into the fold and so we celebrated by having her family and ours for lunch at the Lake. It was great to be able to get to know this new branch before the wedding festivities ramp up in September.

For the Lake Lunch I used Mama's Lake Lure Menu. Mama had a standard Lake Lure menu when she was hosting at the Lake. The menu was designed to make it simple for arriving at the Lake and then immediately feeding a hungry crowd of people. She had ham, biscuits, shrimp cocktail, beans and corn from the garden, pimiento cheese, potato salad, deviled eggs and fresh fruit. She always had chocolate cake but I made pound cake instead because I know how. Most of this can be done ahead of time so it makes it easier to enjoy the day at the Lake with whoever is around the table. Because no one wants to miss the conversation.

Strawberry Trifle

It helps to have leftover Sour Cream Pound cake(see recipe on May 10, 2010 post) and fresh locally grown strawberries to pull off this easy trifle in a hurry. I confess to using the quick (3 minute) vanilla pudding and cool whip this time.

In a pretty glass bowl crumble leftover pound cake. Add a layer of vanilla pudding and a layer of strawberries, repeat and top with whipped cream.

This is easy, fast, pretty and delicious. And it gives us more quality time around the table.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Graduation - Jay's Guacamole

Jay graduated from college last weekend. In three years. From a university that I had not anticipated.


After spending a successful year at NC State, Jay had applied for and been accepted to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill. My Alma Mater. I was thrilled. I quickly paid a deposit for housing and a parking place and imagined all kinds of reasons to get to spend time on Franklin Street. Blue heaven.

About a month later I learned that Jay had been approached about transferring to Gardner Webb University with a chance to be a part of their Division I basketball program. Knowing his love for basketball and his thoughts of coaching in the future, we knew we had to let him make his own decision. I did recommend that he talk with his endocrinologist who is brilliant in diabetes management and in questions of life. Since Dr. B was affiliated with UNC-CH, I also thought he might be as biased as I was.

I was wrong. After talking with Jay for a good while he said, "College is as much about personal growth and development as anything. Why don't you take some time to consider where you believe you can attain the most personal growth?"

Later I asked Dr. B what he thought Jay's answer would be and he surprised me by saying, "I'm 90% it is Gardner Webb."

Five years ago as I was trying to help David IV make college decisions, my friend and former Peace College president, Laura, had given me excellent advice. She said, "you can help guide them only so far. The main thing is to get them on the campuses and one day a light will come on and they will tell you - this is where I am going." That exact thing had happened with David IV. With his engineering mind and fun during engineering camp at NC State, we had totally expected him to major in engineering at State. After visiting State and several other campuses we visited Wofford College. At the end of the Wofford visit David jumped into the back seat of our car, slammed the door and said with total confidence, "This is where I am coming to school."

One of our favorite sayings around this house is "Life is a journey, not a destination." One of the tough things about parenting is learning that there comes a time when it's your child's journey, not yours. My friend, Tommy, used to say that we are all here on earth for our own journey and if everyone could accept that everyone would benefit. The world would be a better place if people wouldn't try to control everyone and everything around them.

So Jay did decide on Gardner Webb and we all learned a lot in the process. Personal growth and development really doesn't stop after college. Or at least it shouldn't.

At Gardner Webb's baccalaureate service, I learned that Alma Mater is latin for Nourishing Mother. And that Gardner Webb's motto is Pro Deo et Humanitate (for God and Humanity). And that both of these latin terms are alive and well on the GWU campus.

At the commencement ceremony, a student speaker said many had questioned her enrollment at Gardner Webb. She is an honors student and had visited many campuses. After four years at GWU, she explained why GWU was the right place for her. It was relationships. Especially her relationships with professors. Relationships that are both mentor and friend. One anecdote was that she and several other GWU students took an honors trip to DC with alot of students from other campuses. They walked into the hotel with their GWU professor. One student later asked wide eyed, "You brought your professor with you?" Her reply, "Of course. Didn't you?"

Jay has similar stories about relationships with various professors, coaches, staff and the cafeteria ladies. All have been an important part of his growth and development.

At the commencement we heard the Gardner-Webb University Orchestra and they were passionate, in synch and in all ways outstanding. Then we heard the Gardner-Webb University Choir and they completely knocked our socks off. David IV remembered from seeing a program that the choir would sing a song about being changed. We both thought that this might be the song "For Good" from Wicked which, as David IV puts it, always brings on a Royster come apart. That song has special meaning for us in many ways.

As the GWU choir began we realized they were singing an old gospel song, "I Know I've Been Changed". It still caused a Royster come apart. Let's just say it was a good thing I had hankies. The student choir sang a very moving and powerful performance of a moving and powerful song.

"I Know I've Been Changed" was written on the faces of every student at the GWU Commencement. Probably the professor and parent faces too.

After the degrees were conferred, Dr. Bonner reminded everyone that Commencement means Beginning, not Conclusion. He encouraged them to live a life of service - Pro Deo et Humanitate. Then another professor mentioned that to live full and meaningful lives she hoped each student would "immerse yourself in the things that last - nature, art, music, books, good relationships."

The students were given a blessing from Tracey Jessup, "May your love be surrounding, your grace be astounding and your hope be grounding." Good advice for students of any age. Jay's Alma Mater is nourishing for sure.

Congratulations to Jay and to all graduates everywhere. Good Luck on your own journey.

Jay's Guacamole

Guacamole is nourishing too and Jay has been making it a lot lately. Like the rest of us he is learning to cook from intuition and typically doesn't measure. Luckily we have had fresh cilantro and garlic in the garden.

Avocado - peeled, seeded and coursely mashed
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Fresh chopped cilantro
Fresh garlic
Occasionally a chopped and seeded jalapeno
Sometimes a little rotel or salsa. Sometimes he serves this separately.

Stir it all together and serve with Tostitoes!