Even though The Lodge and all its home improvement chaos technically belongs to Marlboro Man and me, I commandeered my mother-in-law very early in the process and informed her that she was not allowed to have a life for the next six months because I’m not making one decision without her when it comes to hearth and home. Home/remodeling/decor, after all, has never been a source of interest for me; my passions lie in cooking, photography, gardening, and, of course, picking my toes.
But my mother-in-law…oh, is she ever a resource. She has not only the experience of someone who lived in the country for over fifty years of her life, but also of someone who spends her free time sketching designs of houses she has no plans to build, going to paint stores and collecting color swatches when she has no painting projects on the horizon, and clipping magazine spreads of gorgeous rooms that appeal to her refined sense of functionality and taste.
Meanwhile, I’ve been picking my toes for the past ten years. Oh, and I grow tomatoes.
When I feel like it.
This is the entrance of The Lodge…it used to be the kitchen—the same kitchen where I prepared Marlboro Man Linguine with Clam Sauce for the first and last time. And when my mother-in-law and I were sketching out this area, she said, “How ’bout if we put a niche right here?” And she pointed to the corner area of the wall.
“YEAH!” I said. “AWESOME! Let’s put a niche right here!”
Then said, “What’s a niche?”
My mother in law laughed, thinking I was kidding.
I wasn’t kidding.
This is a niche, I would later find out:
A niche, technically, is a recess in a wall for a statue or urn. Right now, our niche is holding a pop can.
(Important Note: “Pop” means “Soda“, for those of you who live in California and the Northeastern states; “Coke” for those of you who live in the deep south. Thus endeth this lesson on geographical jargon.)
I like our niche. We installed a light at the top to shine down on whatever statue, urn, or jumbo-sized Precious Moments figurine we decide to put there, and it’s sort of a nice feature for the front entryway.
I’m looking for a few good ideas for the niche, though. Should we put a big chunk of stone surface at the base of it, and some kind of bronze sculpture on top? Or would a chunky piece of wood be better? Or should we keep it subtle and have a thin, simple surface in there? Should we paint the inside of the niche a contrasting color to the surrounding wall? Should there be shelves in the niche, or should we keep it open as it is? I love your ideas.
And most importantly, how do you pronounced “niche?”
Do you say “nitch“?
Or “neesh“?
I feel the need to settle this important matter before we move on to the next phase.
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.
