Paige did my makeup the other night. She’s really interested in makeup, and pretty darn good at it. She watches Instagram videos of different techniques and I let her practice on me all the time. She doesn’t do the Pat Benatar eyeliner look, which is probably a good thing, and it’s fun to watch her do something she’s really interested in.
And let’s face it, it’s also fun to get my makeup done.
“I enjoy being a girrrrrrrrl!”
This was the ranch yesterday! It reminded me of the opening credits of The Simpsons.
My favorite kind of sky.
Meanwhile, things have been happening at the Merc. First of all, we needed to knock through this small section of the wall…which didn’t feel like such a small section once the guys started chiseling through it. I thought it was going to be like the Shawshank Redemption and take twenty years! I was already scouring the internet for Rita Hayworth posters.
But sure as the world, by the end of the day yesterday they’d made it through. Whew—what a loud, dusty, ordeal! And boy, are my arms tired!
Not really. I just stood there and took pictures.
And speaking of pictures, I’ve been looking through old (and not so old) pictures of the ranch, trying to decide which photos would lend themselves well to postcards and greeting cards we’ll offer at the mercantile. I’m leaning toward nonspecific ones of the landscape and the cattle, the horses and the cowboy hats, and not diving too deep into specific family photos…but I’m definitely tempted to include the one of Bryce streaking across the pasture when he was little.
I think it will speak to people.
And speaking of art…Presley! He’s such a magnificent beast! He still bites and nips a bit, but he’s maturing and is so devoted and locked in to the people in his world. When I take my evening walks, while the other dogs run and hunt and frolic…he pretty much stays at my feet, never leaving my side.
I’m loving this kid. If I can solve his nipping problem, he might just be the perfect animal!
(Please don’t tell Charlie I said that. We would have a serious problem on our hands.)
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.
