A Tale of Two Pioneer Women - Part 1
May 14, 2009 
Once upon a time, two fair young maidens and a baby girl known in some circles as 'Miss Peaches' climbed into a little car and made the long trip from Colorado/Nebraska all the way to the wonderful and mystical land of Oklahoma, to a very special place called 'Pioneer Woman and Marlboro Man's Ranch'. There they met the Pioneer Woman herself, another lovely woman who was called Deb of the land of Smitten Kitchen, and several other charming guests. They ate, drank, took pictures and were merry. Then they all lived happily ever after. The end.
O.k., that's the long story short. Now here's the expanded and non-fairy-tale version...
Yes, it is true... About three weeks ago my niece, Miss Peaches and I jumped ship on our normal, hum-drum daily lives and took a road trip to Oklahoma where we spent a day at the lodge on Pioneer Woman and Marlboro Man's ranch.
(To read previous posts on how this all came to be, read here and here and here. Oh, and here.)
(To read about why I've been so incredibly slow in writing about this adventure, read here and here.)
However, because I have been so slow in getting this story posted, and even if you do follow along on my blog you may have forgotten over the long expanse of time since this all happened, I thought I would go ahead and recap here...
My niece, Maesa (who I've decided to rename Marigold because P.W. calls her friend Hyacinth whose name is actually not Hyacinth and I think that's cool and everyone's name should also be a flower) entered a contest that Ree held awhile back to win a day at the ranch on the day that she was hosting Deb of the wildly popular Smitten Kitchen cooking blog to hang out and do some cooking demonstrations. And you guessed it... She won. Then she asked me to go along. Then Miss Peaches got thrown into the mix because, as a still-nursing babe, it would have been somewhat irresponsible for me to leave her behind.
And come on... Everybody loves babies. And Miss Peaches is quite a little socialite for her age and doesn't mind entertaining a crowd, and I know that Ree loves babies, so it all worked out.
She was a rock star of a little traveler, let me tell you. I was so proud. And she was a perfect little angel all day at the Lodge.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'd better get back... behind myself. I'm more comfortable there.
Anyway, after a pleasant day of driving (if there is such a thing) and me drooling over how green the grass was in Kansas (remember: I was coming off the tail end of a long winter in Colorado and vibrant green grass was quite a shock to my retinas) we settled into our hotel for the evening. After a good night's sleep in our hotel room (if there is such a thing), we awoke the next morning, got all gussied up, and off to the Lodge we went!
It was just as I imagined it would be. The long gravel road leading to the middle of nowhere...
The mustangs...
The sweeping, expansive views and cattle dotting the hillside...
The newly remodeled, stylish yet homey, artistic yet down-to-earth Lodge...
And last but not least, Ree and Deb...
So warm, so kind... Such very sweet and talented women.
Shhhh... Let's quietly watch the two bloggers as they interact in their environment. Ree, comfortable in her native territory, appears relaxed, demonstrated by her loose shoulder placement and clasped hands. Deb, removed from her New York habitat and growing a baby in her belly, exhibits classic protective mothering behavior, showing her teeth and shielding her belly with her hands to protect the unborn child that she nourishes in her womb.
Oh Lord, save me from myself. I hope you enjoy my humor, but even if you don't, I cannot tell you how much I keep myself entertained.
Moving on...
Ree, of course, is the Pioneer Woman. For the past three years now, she's been 'churning out drivel' (as she calls it) on her blog for the whole world to see. Except it isn't drivel. It is beautifully funny and endearing tales of her life as a ranch wife and mother. It is striking photography and tutorials where she shares, in plain language, the things she has learned. It is recipes and gardening tips and remodeling stories and wrapped into all of that there is even more amazing photography.
What I love about Deb, aside from her bubbly personality and amazing cooking talent, is that she too is a pioneer woman in her own right... In a city where kitchens are miniscule and it's just so much easier and socially acceptable to go out to eat for every meal than eat in, she has powered forward as a home cook. A home cook who has pioneered her own website to share recipes and methods with the rest of us, no less.
In her tiny kitchen, she has set to work fueling the recipe index on her website with such things as challah bread, wild mushroom pirogies, and coconut pinkcherry yogurt. Yuh-um. Amen, sister.
Accompanying Deb was her sweet and supportive (ahem... yet manly and rugged) husband, Alex...
They couldn't hardly be any cuter of a couple, except for the fact that they now have a baby on the way and they both seem to have that expectant parent glow, boosting their cute-factor by at least another 37%.
Yes, the day started out well and it certainly seemed that it was going to be worth the long drive.
On deck: the sequence of the day and THE FOOD! Stay tuned.
(I promise I won't make you wait three weeks for the next installment.)
Reader Comments (6)
I'm down with the flower moniker idea, I'm just not jivin' with Marigold. I am much wilder, unkempt and less stinky than a marigold. Blab on sista!
I didn't realize that marigolds were stinky. I guess I'll have to ponder your flower identity some more. Morning glory? Mum? Magnolia?
Well, it's about time, lady jane. I've been patiently awaiting the details from your perspective and have already followed along with PW and Deb. You make me laugh harder though, so I can't wait to hear it from your end.
Well, I'm not disappointed so far! Keep it up and hurry it up! Can't wait to read more. I feel that I'm living vicariously through you.
Hope you are all settled in the green green grasses of MN and that every last thing is put away in a nice spot of it's own.
Been thinking about ya!
Sounds like fun! You got some great pics, can't wait to hear about the food!! And how I'm sure Peaches was the one everyone wanted to hold all day! :)
Wonderful story! Can't wait to hear more. Thanks so much for letting us peek into your experience! The food looks fantastic. The lodge is beautiful.