Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Ree, the Pioneer Woman

Don't miss out on my New Year Giveaway!
Today is the last day to enter!
Read this post, then leave me a comment for an entry.
Giveaway ends tonight at midnight, U.S. central time.




Now on to today's post.

It's dedicated to Ree, the Pioneer Woman.

She's amazing.
Her photography, her cooking, her life on a working cattle ranch...
it's fascinating and hilarious seen through her eyes.
Her self-deprecating humor has me laughing out loud.

Today is her birthday.


Happy Birthday, Ree!






She recently consented to an interview through email.
I really appreciated her taking time from her busy schedule to play along with me,
especially since she was deep into the production of her cookbook.

Here is our interview:




I'm such a huge fan, and I love learning more about the working cattle ranch. Now, we all know you are the essential go-to-gal for everything that gets done out there, and all the cowboys come to you for advice (hehe), but you started out a city gal. What has been the most suprising part of ranching that you have learned along the way?

Probably how idyllic AND how backbreakingly grueling it is at the same time. It's beautiful, romantic, and incredibly fulfilling...but there's never any let-up, there's always fence to fix, barns to clean out, pens to paint, water gaps to fix, animals to feed, animals to count, cattle to work, horses to shoe, fires to put out...

Plus, it's a profession that's very much subject to the markets, weather patterns, and other impossible-to-predict factors. I think that's why farmers and ranchers tend to be God-fearing people: they learned early on that after a certain point, it's out of their hands.






Your blog has taken on a life of its own. And had children...and grandchildren. It's huge. Your contests draw thousands. Do you have time to read other blogs at all? Would you share some of your favorites?

I don't think of my blog as huge---it's not a huge website in the grand scheme of websites. But I would agree that's it's taken on a whole life of its own---that's what makes it fun for me. I do read other websites when I can, though my internet time is largely eaten up with churning out recipes, stories, etc. for PW. I love www.countrydoctorswife.com, www.derfwadmanor.blogspot.com, www.smittenkitchen.com, www.thisisreverb.com, and gosh...I could go on and on. I don't have a regular reading pattern or list; I just go where my clicks take me.






You do so much; home school four children, cook, blog, hold awesome contests and various other projects. You have to get overwhelmed or worn down at times, right? I think the mothers in the blogosphere would love to know, what do you do to recharge?

I get a lot done...but I also DON'T get a lot done. I get no more done than anyone else. It's just that I only show the things I do get done...or not done...wait, what?
To recharge, I am involved in absolutely no social activities whatsoever. I stay home, I don't drive all over the place, and I'm not afraid to send the kids outside, plop down on my bed, and stare at the ceiling for ten minutes. I'm not afraid to be idle.






A few months ago I did a post on the very varied and copious amount of reading material in my bathroom...and my lack of privacy from the children. Do you have bathroom reading material? Do you have privacy in the bathroom?

There's no good way to answer this question.






I grew up on a small ranch in the Texas hill country. We were a good 20 miles or so from town, so when I rolled off the couch while wrestling with my little sister and cut my head open on our glass coffee table, my mom had to drive me to the ER rather than wait for an EMS. Have you had to make any ER trips with your kids? How far are you from the nearest ER?

Several ER trips, and I hate them. The nearest ER is 25 minutes away, and I think we've made ten trips there for everything from stitches in the eyebrow (a jump rope accident) to high fevers on the weekends. The next city over (where I had my babies) is an hour away, and I've had to take the kids there twice: one when my baby picked up a hot branding iron and burned his head; the other when my oldest daughter sustained a pretty severe concussion. (It happened in the CHURCH NURSERY, of all places.)

I hate ER trips. Aside from being very scary, they're just so darned inconvenient.







I know your current big project is your cookbook, which I would buy in a heartbeat and give to all my friends and family. Is this a fun project? Or Stressful?

The cookbook was very fun, but in the last two months it was very, very grueling, stressful, and difficult. It proved to be a little too much in the last two weeks and I cussed once or twice. It would've been fine had I not also had my website to maintain, but I just wasn't willing to let the website "go"---it's what I enjoy doing the most.
The cookbook, overall, was a very fun, challenging, and fattening project. I gained seven pounds.






You know I really want some photographs of old boots. Is there anything you've really been wanting to photograph but haven't for some reason?

I always wanted to take photos of my girls wearing colorful tulle skirts and prancing around a tallgrass meadow...but I kept putting it off and now they're way too tall.






What's your favorite book? Or song? Or movie?

Favorite Book: Sophie's Choice, Gone With the Wind, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Giving Tree.
Favorite Song: How Can I Tell You by Cat Stevens
Favorite Movie: Muriel's Wedding, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, The Graduate, Little Women, The Crucible, Chapter Two, Sophie's Choice






We all know dogs can be trained to find drugs or missing children. My 11 yr old son told me recently that bumble bees have been trained to find explosives. Do you think cattle could be trained to do anything like that?

Cattle aren't smart. They're cute, but they're not smart.





I have one question for Marlboro Man: What three words (or more if he needs em) would you use to describe Ree?

He's out of the country right now, so let me answer for him! Let's see...hmmm....





Finally, your blog is addictive. Your sense of humor is priceless, and your photographs make me laugh, cry or just sigh with delight. Why do you think you have had such incredible success in the blogging world?

Or wait, did I already answer my own question?!



Thanks, Ree.
You're the best.





Check out her blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.



Here are some of my favorite posts:

Want to see handsome cowboys and understand chaps? Here's the true story.

Curious how pregnant cows feel? You've gotta see this.

Charles, the basset hound/cow dog.



47 comments:

The Blonde Duck said...

I absolutely love her! How lovely she consented to an interview for you!

Britt said...

I love where she says she's not afraid to be idle .. I usually feel guilty for making time to not do anything. I'm enjoying finally letting myself just be =-)

This was a nice interview, Rhea. You are very good at asking questions =-)

Valarie Lea said...

This is just so awesome!!!!

Totally trying not to be envious that you did this interview. Just trying to live through you. :)

Cathy said...

I can't believe you got a interview, who awesome. I love her site too.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

How fun! And, happy birthday, Ree!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

I love your interviews. You know you have a rare and wonderful talent there.

And PW. How I love her. I think I have been reading her for as long as I have been blogging. Which seems like forever. But it isn't.

koopermom said...

I adore Ree! Still waiting to win a contest over there, though!

wendy said...

how fun! I love PW. What a neat interview.

thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Sally-Ann said...

Great interview. I like that she isn't afraid to be idle. This country girl would love to go back to living in the country, but alas, unless my hubby becomes a country lawyer.......

Jennifer said...

That was a great interview Rhea! I have heard of her blog but never checked it out--I will now!

Pseudo said...

How cool was that! Great post.

carrie said...

great interview, Rhea!

OHmommy said...

Very cool, Rhea.

Jenny and the Princess Peonies said...

i will have to check out her blog!

Unknown said...

Great interview, Rhea!!

I think I need to go and check herf blog out...

Crittle said...

She's so pretty and the kids are so cute and...I now have a greater appreciation for chaps. Mmmmm...chaps.

Unknown said...

Great interview, thanks.

Michelle said...

I love PW, too. Great interview!

CrystalChick said...

AWESOME interview. Good goddess, I'd love to be interesting enough to want someone to interview me.
Maybe you should make that a future thing of yours... interview boring New Jersey grannies. I could practice sounding interesting and as long as you don't contact anyone I know for quotes... I could probably pull it off. LOL
Have a great day, Rhea. You have some neat stuff going on over here. :)

AdriansCrazyLife said...

Wow, she does take nice photos, doesn't she? I stink at taking pictures. Maybe that should be my New Year's resolution!

Live.Love.Eat said...

That was a great interview! I don't visit her too much because I always thought of her like a Dooce and there is no interaction but she sounds wonderful!

Unknown said...

I love her blog... and her humor.. it's inspiring! great way to kick off a new year...

thanks for doing this, Rhea!

Amy @ Living Locurto said...

Great interview. How fun!

Aunt Julie said...

Interesting! She does so much, so well, that I always thought she was a "commercial" blog. That one person can do all that is pretty amazing...thanks for the look into what makes her tick!

Jill said...

Really cool interview and I think it's because it was done by YOU!:)

Jen said...

Wow, what a woman. She certainly deserves a look and see.

Marrdy said...

I have heard so much about the Pioneer Woman. Now I need to go check her out myself!

KimmyJ said...

I love, love, love PW. Wow - that you scored an interview. I thought she would be way too busy for us regular folk.

John Deere Mom said...

That's awesome! How amazing that you got an interview with her. Very cool, Rhea!

Claremont First Ward said...

LOVE Ree.....that you got an interview with her is HUGE!

Happy Birthday Pioneer woman!

Misty DawnS said...

Ree a.k.a. Pioneer Woman ROCKS! Have I ever mentioned I want to be her when I grow up? Just sayin'

By the way, I know another Rhea who rocks :-D I think you're fantastic, my friend - this is a great interview and you're doing a spectacular job with your blog - I LOVE it!

Finding Normal said...

Happy Birthday, PW!
Rhea? You are a ROCKSTAR for not only getting the interview, but asking such great questions! Great post!

All Things BD said...

Awesome pull, getting to interview PW. Nicely done.

Anonymous said...

Rhea,

I'm so flattered that you would even be interested in posting my answers on your site. I feel like I talk way too much anyway, but you've made me feel special on my birthday.

Thank you for being so sweet, upbeat, and always fun.

Love,
P-Widdy-Dub-Diddy

Tiffany said...

Girl, that is so cool. I love me some Rhee. Now, I love her even more for taking the time to talk to you!!!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

All that and she is drop-dead gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the interview.

Mrs Anne said...

How amazing are you????

She's so fabulous! i love to read her blog... she's funny, real, down to earth and crazy! love it!

fabulous interview!

Happy Birthday Ree!

Justine said...

Well this was just fabulous to read! Great idea to do a little interview with her!
I left questions on her "live" blog last night, but haven't been back to see if she answered!

Justine :o )

Mariah said...

How fun, you always do the best interviews

Shannon said...

Great interview!

I've been to PW a few times... but it's been awhile. I'm going to have to check her out some more...

Skeller said...

Awww, my favorite blogger of all time. Thanks for doing such a fun interview with her, Rhea!! :-)

Sprite's Keeper said...

I am amazed with this! Your questions are wonderful and her answers are so HER. (I've been following her for a long time.) You kick butt! You should totally interview Dooce next!

Lula! said...

And next I would like you to interview me.

WAIT...
that could be something interesting. All of us in this bloggy circle could interview each other. Assign partners, go at it, blog about it, and such. It would be good times.

OK, you go first.

Liz said...

Gotta LOVE PDub!!

~Liz
http://agiveawayaday.blogspot.com/

BloggessJ said...

I LOVE me some P-Dub! Great interview!

Screwed Up Texan said...

Hey, I had no idea you did this. I actually made her pasta primavera over the weekend and completely overly stuffed myself. Of course, I cant ever follow a recipe, so I added my own spices from my garden and changed it up just a tad...but I tell you what, it was the only pasta my husband will eat. He refuses to eat any other pasta, but Pioneer Woman's recipe changed his mind--at least for one dish.

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