Hi, friends. Gosh…it’s been awhile! And so much has happened. I hope you are all okay, I hope your loved ones are safe and well, and I hope you’re weathering this storm with your family. What an unprecedented time.
Here in our world, we’ve had adjustments like everyone has. We closed the Merc in mid-March, which was of course a hard decision–but obviously the right thing to do. We hope to be able to reopen soon, just like so many business owners do. It’s hard to see the Merc so quiet, but it’s just resting…and will be ready when things get started again.
Paige’s college closed through the end of the semester, so she’s been home doing classes remotely. What an adjustment for her, too! She was staying up late, hanging with friends, studying through the night for morning tests…and now she’s had to adjust her daily routine. Fortunately, Alex is home, too—she is still working, but able to do it remotely. So the Drummond sisters have each other.
Bryce and Todd’s school is out for the semester, too, and they started distance learning this week. Sports has been the biggest adjustment; track is canceled, and their daily workouts (for longterm football training) have to be done on their own time. Bryce’s college football recruiting (just like so many high school athletes!) has had to take a different shape since in-person visits aren’t permitted through May 31. So many kids with plans and hopes and dreams are facing a new reality right now. I’ve been watching piano recitals and Zoom theater performances on Twitter in order to support kids out there who’ve been working hard toward their goals for so long. I hope they keep their chins up! They will all come out of this stronger. (On that note, here is Bryce’s football highlight reel if you’d like to get a football hit! Ha.)
Ladd is the one member of our family who hasn’t seen a drastic shift in his daily life, since his daily life involves feeding cattle, spring burning, and other ranch-centric activities. Since the boys are around the house more, they’re able to help him more, which is nice for him. The markets are crazy and uncertain, but a rancher still has to get out of bed and take care of the animals.
As for me, I hate what our world is going through. I am grieved by the suffering, the illness, the loss of so many. I hurt for the health care workers who are exhausted and overworked, and in fear for their health. Now, as a GenX-er, I was trained for staying home and haven’t been bothered by the monotony of laying low every day. (If only I could find reruns of Gilligan’s Island somewhere on TV.) But for the sake of so many, I hope this gets better soon, and gets better quickly.
The kids are here more, I’ve added Alex and Paige to the mix, so cooking and making sure the house doesn’t fall to pieces has entered another dimension. On the business front, I am having regular giveaways here on my website and staying in touch with my magazine team, my Walmart product friends, and other folks I work with. It’s amazing how much can be done remotely.
Regarding my cooking show, my TV crew is from London, so we obviously had to cancel our April shoot…and it’s hard to know when they will be able to come back. I miss them! But after talking to Food Network, I decided to try a self-shot episode of The Pioneer Woman…with my kids behind the camera. We shot it last week, then I worked with my London crew on editing all the footage into a real show, and I have to say that it was such a fun experience given the circumstances! It will air this Saturday morning on Food Network (10 am Eastern, 9 am Central), and I share recipes that I’ve been making that are uncomplicated, simple, and yummy. I hope you enjoy seeing the behind the scenes weirdness of my kids and me!
Details: The Pioneer Woman: Staying Home – Saturday, April 11 – 9:00 am Central/10:00 am Eastern
Be sure to check the giveaways page if you need your day brightened! 🙂 (There will be a new giveaway to enter later today!)
I love you guys. Take care, stay safe, and hug your families. The kids and I will be shooting more recipes this weekend, and I’ll post photos next week!
Love,
P-Widdle Diddle
Ree Drummond is the founder of The Pioneer Woman and a lover of butter, basset hounds and life on the ranch! Ree started her blog in 2006, and now millions visit ThePioneerWoman.com every month for her trusted recipes and fun family stories. Here’s what she has been up to since it all began:
New York Times Bestselling Author
Ree has written two memoirs (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and Frontier Follies) plus nine bestselling cookbooks:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (2009)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier (2012)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (2013)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime (2015)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! (2017)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier (2019)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy (2021)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready! (2023)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The Essential Recipes (2025)
Food Network Host
Since 2011, Ree has been sharing simple, family-friendly recipes—and the occasional kitchen prank!—on her award-winning show The Pioneer Woman, filmed right on Drummond Ranch. Ree is also a regular judge on Food Network competitions, including Christmas Cookie Challenge.
Founder, The Pioneer Woman Collection
Ree has been creating and selling kitchen and home products at Walmart since 2015 and she’s involved in designing every piece and pattern. The line now includes best-selling appliances (you have to see the floral blender!), plus hundreds of pieces of cookware, tableware, and more. Ree doesn’t like to play favorites but the Agatha print has a special place in her heart.
Restaurant and Hotel Owner
Together with her husband Ladd, Ree has opened several bustling businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, including The Pioneer Woman Mercantile—a bakery, restaurant, and general store that draws visitors from across the country (many come for the biscuits alone!), P-Town Pizza, Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop, and The Boarding House, a charming hotel with eight different rooms decorated by Ree and Ladd.
Media Personality
Ree appears regularly on national TV shows like Today, Good Morning America and more—all while managing to keep flour off her shirt.
Wife, Mom and…Grandma!
Ree’s kids (daughters Alex and Paige and sons Bryce and Todd) are all grown up, and as of December 2024, Ree is the proud grandma of the cutest baby ever, Sofia Scott, born to Alex and her husband Mauricio. Ree still cooks for Ladd (and the kids when they’re home), and she also looks after a few mischievous ranch dogs.
