Yesterday morning, Marlboro Man left to take the kids to Sunday School while I stayed behind to get ready for church, which involved showering. I really like to go that extra mile on Sundays!
Not two minutes after they pulled away, Marlboro Man called to tell me he’d just seen some of the dogs in the North Big South and I might want to run get them before they decide to take off on a hunting expedition, which—considering the mix of nose lengths and strengths in our canine population—might mean they’d wind up in Kansas by the time church was over.
So I went outside, got in the pickup, and drove down the road approximately one mile until I crossed the cattle guard that leads to the North Big South. This is not to be confused with the South Big South, by the way, and at this time I shall refrain from confessing the number of times I’ve embarrassed myself by asking Marlboro Man, “Now which one is the South Big South again? I get confused.”
The second I crossed over the cattle guard, there they were: a bunch of crazy, wacky mutts with their tails wagging like crazy, running toward my pickup with their tongues practically dragging on the ground, they were so excited to see me. This was odd, considering I’d just seen them on our front porch twenty minutes earlier.
Dogs are funny, man.
For a moment, I considered making the dogs follow me home on foot to teach them a little lesson about getting wild hairs and taking off like that. But I’m a complete sucker when it comes to dogs and instead got out of the pickup, opened the tailgate, and lifted the turkeys one by one into the back, sustaining approximately 1.7 hernias in the process. Did you know Basset Hounds are dead weight in canine form? Also, they stretch forever, so their hind legs can still be on the ground while their head is at your shoulders.
I strained. I strained much.
We rode the long, lonely mile back to the house, then I got out, walked around the pickup, and snapped this photo with my phone.
Here’s the motley crew: Hooker, Charles, Walter, and Bruiser, aka Pookie Sunshine of My Life.
Here are their brief bios:
Hooker: Josh’s dog, but she hangs around our house a lot because I rub her ears and look into her eyes and tell her I understand. I didn’t name her.
Charles: Butthead.
Walter: Booger.
Bruiser: Susie’s great nephew or great grandson or first cousin once removed or something like that, and he’s a little spirited ball of enthusiasm and mischief. He also plays a mean game of chess.
Dogs Run My Life,
Pioneer Woman
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.
