This is the deck at the Lodge. This photo was taken early last spring, before the grass turned green and before it was stained. So keep that in mind.
Let me give you a little background. After we finished the Lodge project, we decided we’d just sit and catch our breath awhile, enjoying all the work we did inside before jumping into fixing up (landscaping) the outside. Weeks turned into months, and we really got comfortable not having to make any decisions—or spend any money—on another Lodge-related improvement. Before we knew it, we were into the hot summer and hadn’t planted any grass or plants…and we decided we were fine to wait until next year (Spring 2010) before we started thinking about sod, grasses, or—egads—outdoor furniture.
The outside of the Lodge is quite plain as it is now. The house looks great, but there’s not a pot or plant in sight, and what will eventually be a verdant, grassy front yard is now covered in gray, depressing gravel. And the deck, while grand and inviting, is completely bereft of any loose objects or adornment. Basically, it looks like a place that’s been shut down for the off-season.
And so, it is with great panic that I announce that next Monday I am having a dinner on the deck of the Lodge, and that the dinner is going to be photographed for a story in a magazine this fall. It’s just a casual story about family dinnertime in the country, but as is the case with anything involving a magazine—whether it be the recipes they feature or the details they shoot—every single detail is important.
Don’t worry. It’s not Architectural Digest. It’s not Town & Country and it’s not Elle Decor. Not by a long shot. It’s a casual, fun magazine, and I won’t tell you which one until I’ve seen the issue and see that I don’t look dumb.
Anyway. I am resigned to the fact that the outdoor area of the Lodge is not landscaped and not groomed to the hilt, and since the dinner will be taking place on the deck itself, the area we’ll be working with is somewhat contained and manageable. Plus, I think it’s important for me to be myself and not try to portray myself as a privileged country woman who has a staff of gardeners at her disposal…because I ain’t her.
But help. I need to do…something. I need pots? Plants? Big, native grasses? (I like that idea because I can plant them after the dinner’s over.)
The deck is naked and shivering alone in the wilderness. How does one tackle something like this? What does one do in a pinch to fill in and adorn and bring life to an outdoor area? The only thing I have are pretty picnic tables, which I’ll be lining up in the large part of the deck (above). I’ll keep the table pretty neutral, with burlap and crisp white napkins and metal vases and probably colorful flowers.
Other than that, I got nothin’.
I’d love to hear what you’d do.
I’ll read each suggestion as if it’s lifeblood being pumped into my veins.
Because it will be.
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.
