Yesterday, I had absolutely zero laundry, homeschooling, housework, or cooking to do.
On Opposite Day.
My point is: Rather than do any of those things, I decided to do this instead.
Bacon Procrastination can be fun!
The time between this photo and the next photo was approximately .6 seconds.
Gone. It’s gosh darn amazing my thumb is still there.
So then I did it again. Because remember: No other work to do whatsoever. On Opposite Day.
This time, though, I decided to teach Charlie the art of restraint. He got about this far before I used that cautionary “Ah, ah, ah!” sound, which translates in English to, “Oh, you’d better not, mister!”
And it worked! He backed off. Though, as you can plainly see, he really didn’t want to.
But that’s the thing about Basset Hounds. People assume they’re just dumb dodo birds. But in reality, they are incredibly smart and capable of being trained.
It’s just that they’re usually unwilling to be trained.
In fact, I would say “Unwilling” is probably the number one trait of a Basset Hound.
But check this out: He actually went for it again, but he stopped himself just short of snatching it out of my hand. And all I had to say was another “Ah, ah, ah!”…
Before he backed off again. Oh, boy…just look at that face. He’s mad now! Hahaha.
Yes, I’m easily entertained.
So after that, I gave him the go-ahead. I moved the bacon just a hair closer and said, “Here you go, Charlie!”
And he responded accordingly.
SNNNNAAAAARRRRRRF!
And since Charlie is a member of the church of No Bacon Left Behind…
He went ahead and finished off the rest.
By the way, I ran sort of a vintage action on these photos in order to try to make my hand look less frightening.
It didn’t work.
Here’s another Basset Hound tactic: Act like you don’t care…
Gingerly stalk your prey…
Then POUNCE with all the quickness of…a turtle.
A Basset Hound can sneak up on nothing.
Here’s another Basset Hound tactic: Tug on Mama’s heartstrings.
Gaze lovingly into her eyes, even as you’re snatching the bacon out of her hand.
You’ll look so adorable, she’ll never even know what hit her.
Happily Avoiding Work,
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.
