The pictures of Dad on the horse leading the shetlands brought back such a great memory! When I think back on those days growing up, and some of the things we did, I realize that we are such a unique family. I know that at times things were difficult for us, but at the same time we were so blessed to have the freedom to create and invent our own entertainment. I would'nt trade these memories for anything, and I want our children and grandchildren to know about our generation. They will never get to experience things like what we did. I know Richard had a great idea a few years ago when he sent out booklets for all of us to write our stories and memories. Well brothers and sisters, lets get this done. Lets write our stories so the next generations will know about our great family. 

The little shetland that everyone is riding in the pictures is not the same one that Dad is leading. That is a different story. We trained this pony and just got to where we could ride her, and Les Williams showed up one day with a man who had some little kids. He wanted to see the pony.  Dad sent us into the house. Then Les told him to thank the kids for training the pony for him, and as we watched through the window, with tears streaming down our faces, took the pony to sell to the man for his kids.  Dad was quite mad at Mr. Williams and told him that was a dirty trick to play on his kids.

 My memory of the shetlands.   I rembember that day in the summer or early fall, probabaly about 1965. I was about 14 or 15 years old. We lived in a home owned by Les Williams west of Moreland. He had lots of acres of ground out there and this band of horses, mostly shetlands, roamed freely for miles. We would catch a view of them every once in a while, but couldn't get very close to them.  This particular day, the horses were seen about a mile from our house. We didn't have a telephone so we jumped in the car and drove to the nearest neighbor, about two miles up the road, and told the neighbor kids about the horses. They called more kids, and soon about 10 kids showed up to join us in trying to catch some horses. We watched the horses from a distance for quite some time, being careful not to spook them. We were so excited as we watched them go into a huge, empty potato celler. (It was dark and cool in there and probably smelled like potatos.) In the center of the celler, a big flatbed trailer was parked. After the horses were all inside, we ran down and closed the huge doors, so they could'nt get out.  About that time, Daddy showed up to see what all of us kids were up to and he joined in with just as much excitment as any of the kids.  The horses all ran to the far end of the celler, so we went in through the small door, and Dad told all of us kids to get up on top of the trailer so we would'nt  get trampled by the horses. I don't remember who brought the rope, and their horse, but Dad made a lasso. One of the older boys herded the horses back, as as the horses started to run it turned into pure chaos. They were galloping at full speed, and circled around the trailer, going around and around, dust flying, horses whinnying, and kids yelling. We were thrilled beyond imagination as we were part of this spectacular, once in a lifetime experience. The horses finally settled down a bit, and Daddy got his lasso going. It circled his head, and then he would throw it toward one of the horses. The one that got caught was this cute little pinto, with the white colt. We opened the big celler doors, and let the horses out, and Dad rode the neighbors horse to our house leading this wild little shetland. We put them in an old corral in a little shed, and all night we could hear the stallion whinney to the horse in our shed. She would answer back to him. Then just before dawn, we heard a stampede of horses race through the yard, they broke down the fence and freed the little shetland.  We were quite disappointed, but what a great memory! Would'nt you agree?