Make Your Own Self Rising and Cake Flour

I like King Arthur Flour now.  Over the years, I've used Southern Biscuit and White Lily.  Flours do make the difference in your baked goods. Do you use certain flours when baking, or do you use whatever is available?  It is nearly impossible to find King Arthur in our local groceries, so I've taken to ordering or in a pinch using another brand.  When that brand can be found it is usually all purpose.  What's a lady to do when self rising is needed and you are at home with only all purpose?

Cool Cucumber Salad

Who loves cucumbers?  I sure do and now they are coming off the vines in gardens around here!  There is a local grower who always has his first. We can't wait to see Mr. Plummer and his fresh grown vegetables.  This year he has some large, seedless cucumbers and some very sweet crisp onions fresh out of the ground. Did I mention he has some new potatoes that are out of this world?

Today is all about cucumber salad.  There are many recipes out there on the internet and most have basically the same ingredients as I use.  

It has been extremely hot around here lately, temps hovering around the hundreds and so early in the year too!  We are finding ways to stay cooler.  Let's have a cool salad.

Banana Shrub, How Sweet The Smell

Some shrubs are somehow taken for granted.  This is one, and I'm ashamed to say so.  It is so pretty, stately, standing alone, and only takes a few limb cuttings to take care of it for another year.

I remember Mama and I sitting on the front porch and she telling me to trim out the center corkscrew limbs that were intertwining each other.  At the time I loved the look of the small tree like shrub.  Oh, to have her back sitting on the porch with me spouting her wisdom from years of experience in gardening. I'd cut away and watch her smile.

Today this shrub is on my mind.  Do you own one?  Talking today about an old favorite in many Southern gardens.