One of my favorite items in the kitchen is the giant chalkboard we picked up at an auction shortly after we moved to this house.  It was a whole $3 and a real find since I had been scouting similar items in the big home decor catalogs for months.

My memories with my nieces from family dinners usually have two elements - one of them asking to be the one to write the menu on the board and the other being enamored with some place card holders shaped like little purses.

My hostessing philosophy has several basic elements, one of which is that people will not eat what they cannot identify.  Makes sense, right?  Having a posted menu helps people know what to expect when they get to the table and they are usually warmed up to something they might not know right away.

This menu is from the farm visit we hosted a few weeks ago.  Any menu I associate with a good party stays up for awhile to remind me of the good time.

Sometimes we will post a quote for us to consider.  This chalkboard is the first thing you see when you enter the kitchen from the back of the house.  It's always a good way to start the morning to either think about time with family and friends or to be inspired by wise words.