Lucy is such an angel.
Until she sees Duke being mischievous. Then she considers joining the mayhem.
Here are some examples of Duke’s mischief:
* Eating his water bowls.
* Chasing the cats.
* Chewing up volleyballs.
* How can a dog get his jaws around a volleyball? Duke has figured it out.
* Looking cute and adorable.
* I know that’s not technically mischief, but it sure allows him to get away with a lot.
Stay with me, Lucy! Don’t cross over to the dark side.
I mean the Duke side.
Speak of the devil…there’s ol’ Dukie himself!
“Love me, Mom! Love me! Please?”
Consider it done, Duke.
It’s so fun having labs around. After living the Basset Hound life for so many years, I forgot just how darned exciting life with dogs can be! Haha.
And how licky it can be. They are such lickers! They lick a lot. They love and like to lick.
Charlie and Walter don’t lick! Have I ever told you this? I can have my face right up next to theirs and they just sit there and look at me.
I get my face within three feed of Duke and Lucy, and their tongues kick into high gear.
Even though one of them is a little bit of a devil…they’re both such angels. We’re loving them a lot, and even though the Bassets like to act like they’re unaffected, they’re learning to appreciate them, too!
Aw, Duke. You’re such a lovable polar bear.
“Aggghhnurphackeeegnarph.”
Well, that’s the end of that conversation.
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.
