Would you believe we have another dog in our midst? We do. He’s a reject from the city. Apparently, his spirit was way too big for such a cramped existence. So now he’s ours.
His name is Hamilton.
He has floppy ears that are subject to the winds. He’s an American Foxhound, I think. Not that that matters, since all he does around here is sleep on the porch with the other mutts.
Oh, and Hamilton plays, too. He plays ball with Nell and Charlie.
And my boy, too, when he shows up.
*Green grass alert. My soul sings.
Nell’s the black dog; she’s a Border Collie. This means she cares about nothing else in the universe but whatever ball is nearest to her. The other dogs…well, they don’t really care that much. They’re just here to play, man.
Charlie’s the Basset, of course, and he does NOT like to be ignored. When Nell becomes too fixated on her ball, Charlie really lets her have it. If I could record and bottle his howl, I’d pour it into the world’s water supply and everyone would be too busy laughing to continue fighting.
I’ll have to work on that process…
Look at Nell stalking that ball: it’s her life’s work. Hamilton, the new kid, is watching the ball, too. Sort of. But Charlie is definitely watching Nell. And he’s starting to get ticked.
“Woo woo woo!” Translation: “I’m not going to be IGNORED.”
“WOO!” Translation: “Please come back. My legs are short.”
Nell and Hamilton have fun running and scampering and cavorting.
But sometimes when they’re playing I like to shout “Go get him, Nell!” just for kicks. This is the signal I normally give to Nell when I want her to chase the mustangs out of our hay meadow. It’s her signal to get to work.
And as soon as the words leave my lips, the tide turns. Suddenly Hamilton is no longer a playmate. He is a head of livestock. A head of livestock that must be corralled and controlled.
I just love watching Nell at work.
Though I can’t say that Hamilton appreciates it much. One minute, Nell’s his buddy; the next, she’s forcing him to move in a certain direction. What a buzz kill, man.
“I…am not…a mustang! I…am not…a cow! I…am…a human being!”
(And name the cinematic source of that quote. If you get it, you have my undying respect.)
Look! Nell’s herding responsibility superseded her ball obsession! I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed that before.
Border Collies are extremely obsessive animals. I’ve never seen anything like it. For those of you who own Border Collies, I know you’ll understand what I’m about to say; for those of you who don’t, please hear me: Border Collies are the most amazing creatures on the face of the earth. Nell is an absolute triumph. That is all.
Oh, and I realize I burned the edges of that photo and didn’t do it to the others. This is because I didn’t like the way it looked. But I wanted to leave it as evidence of my never-ending photographic pilgrimage. Whatever that means.
Hey! Don’t forget about this guy.
Charlie has been watching Nell tune on the new kid, and now he would like to step up to the plate and contribute to the cause.
“Step aside, Little Lady. I’ll take it from here.” Charlie LOVES tuning on Hamilton.
“Listen up, maggot! I was here first! Now drop and give me twenty!”
“Are you listening to me?” Charlie is NOT going to be ignored.
As the “shorter dog” on the premises, it’s really important for Charlie to establish dominance with the new kid.
Little does Charlie know, Hamilton really couldn’t care less. I wonder how long he’ll hang there before he figures it out?
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.
