If my maternal grandparents had never moved to the town where my paternal grandparents lived, my parents wouldn’t have met.
If my parents had never met, they wouldn’t have gotten married.
If they’d never gotten married, I wouldn’t have been born.
If I’d never been born, I wouldn’t have had a brother.
If I’d never had a brother, he wouldn’t have drawn a kindergarten picture of himself sitting alone in a room with a sad expression and a caption underneath that read “I have no dog.”
If my brother had never drawn that picture, my dad wouldn’t have felt sorry for him.
If my dad had never felt sorry for him, he wouldn’t have bought my brother a puppy.
If my dad had never bought my brother a puppy, we wouldn’t have had a Basset Hound named Rusty Boy.
If we’d never had a Basset Hound named Rusty Boy, I wouldn’t have developed a biological need to have a Basset Hound near me at all times.
If I’d never developed a biological need to have a Basset Hound near me at all times, I wouldn’t have gotten Charlie four years ago.
If I’d never gotten Charlie four years ago, I wouldn’t have grown accustomed to having him nestle next to me on the couch on cold winter evenings.
If I’d never gotten used to having him nestle next to me on the couch on cold winter evenings, I wouldn’t have gotten in my vehicle to retrieve him the other evening after he’d followed Cowboy Josh home.
If I’d never gotten in my vehicle to retrieve him the other evening after he’d followed Josh home, I wouldn’t have seen this sky.
If I’d never seen this sky, my life would be bleak and colorless and I would have spent the rest of my days in a state of unrest, always feeling like I’d missed something important and beautiful, but never knowing exactly what it was.
Thank heavens for Basset Hounds.
Or my grandparents.
Or my brother.
Or my parents.
Or Josh.
Or my vehicle.
Or everything.
The End.
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.
