I’m here today with my good friend Bunny Bovine to ask her advice about staying cool in this heat wave and rough drought.

Bunny, how would you suggest we stay cool in this extreme heat?

Bunny:”Well, I would say you should definitely try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Maybe find a nice tree so you can have a snack while you stay in the shade. Try to dump your trough on your head whenever you get a chance. I would suggest a large plastic basin because it’s much lighter and easier to dump than a metal one.”

What are your tips for staying hydrated?

“Be sure to drink lots of water, even if it involves standing up and walking across the paddock. If you don’t feel like eating, it has been much too long since you last got a drink and you should go drink a few gallons of water. It will make you feel better.”

The heat really kills our stamina, how should we keep our energy up?

“Definitely go for the greenest grass you can find. The greener the better. Avoid the dead, brown grass, it will make you thirsty and you will have to walk all the way over to the trough to get a drink. Be sure you eat as often as possible. Graze all your waking hours, and anytime you wake up at night. Wake up with the sun and start eating. Once it starts to get to the hottest, brightest part of the day, work on your cud and rest. Once it starts to cool off you can start grazing again, but don’t over-do it.”

Do you have any special warnings or advice before we leave?

“Yes.  Be very careful out here. I lost a friend to heat stroke last year. Be sure you can always get to water and shade.”

Out standing in her field, a local expert in digestion, Bunny Bovine studying to enter the field of milk production.

Annie Hall, Teen Blogger

Earlier this month, America celebrated its 236th birthday. One of the things that built this great nation was the character of the people. The charter quality of thriftiness was displayed by Robert Morris, one of our country’s founders.

Thriftiness vs. Extravagance 

Thriftiness is allowing myself and others to spend only what is necessary. There are five parts to thriftiness: I will€¦

• Save more and spend less.
• Make good use of what I already have.
• Look for the best value.
• Budget my money, time, and energy.
• Not confuse what I need with what I want.

Robert Morris

Robert Morris was born in 1734 in England. His father was a merchant and brought him as a young boy to America. When Morris was a young man he went into a merchant apprenticeship with a man from Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, he became a partner in this business and soon €˜struck it rich.’ As friction with England began to happen, Morris began to be actively involved in different political groups. Soon he became a Pennsylvania delegate to the Second Continental Congress. After Congress’ decision to declare independence, he became the twenty-fourth signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Morris’ strong devotion to the War for Independence showed in his thriftiness. When he was a merchant he saved more and spent less. Therefore, he was able to meet the financial need of this country by making good use of what he already had by personally funding many of the war projects, such as supplying Washington’s army with supplies, and meeting the needs of the country  after the war. With America just beginning, it didn’t have a lot of funds and other countries were not willing to lend to us. Morris didn’t confuse what he needed with what he wanted and unselfishly gave to the needs of America. He pledged his own money and volunteered personal responsibility for part of what America borrowed. After the war, he was appointed as superintendent of finance. This was a difficult job because of the economic crisis that America was in. He had to budget his money, time, and energy very carefully, but because of his training as a merchant and commitment to the benefits of thriftiness, he was able to keep the new country afloat. Some people criticized him as being a “dictator” because he was so diligent to make good use of what he was given and didn’t indulge in extravagance spending for the country. Nevertheless, he served on the convention that framed the Constitution and President Washington offered him the position of Secretary of the Treasury in his Cabinet (he declined and became a Pennsylvanian Senator). It has been said that: “If it were not demonstrable by official records, posterity would hardly be made to believe that the campaign of 1781, which resulted in the capture of Cornwallis, and virtually closed the Revolutionary War, was sustained wholly on the credit of an individual merchant.” [1] That merchant was Robert Morris who has been appropriately called the “financer of the Revolution.” [2]

Character to Life

What about you? How can you show thriftiness this summer? Here are some ideas (the corresponding €˜I will’ for thriftiness is in parentheses to help you identify which part of thriftiness you are applying):

• Need money? Look through your room and find things that you don’t use any more and have a garage sale. (I will not confuse what I need with what I want).
• Do you have a special occasion coming up where you need to get a gift but don’t have the money to buy it? Be creative. Look around your house and see if there is something that you could give or something that you could take and make something different or useful out of. (I will make good use of what I already have).
• Talk with your parents and see how they keep a budget. Then work with them to set a budget for yourself. (I will budget my money, time, and energy).
• See about setting a family budget, separating the needs from the wants. (I will budget my money, time, and energy).
• Set activity goals. Thriftiness isn’t just about money. It is about time and energy too. So set a goal, like reading a certain amount of books this summer, exercising goals, or learning a new task. By setting goals it will help you to be thrifty in your time, energy, and money so that you can accomplish your goal. (I will budget my money, time, and energy).
• Map out how you spend your time. Has there been a lot of wasted time? Now look for ways you can best use your time this summer. (I will look for the best value).
• Like math? Compare items that you want/need and see where you can get the best cost. Figure out how much you saved. You can also figure the cost/serving of the food your family eats. (I will save more and spend less).
• Look in the news (local or federal) and see how the candidates are applying or not applying thriftiness. Maybe you can write a letter to the editor of your local paper about what you find. (All five €˜I wills’).

Those are some ideas to get you started. Robert Morris showed thriftiness 236 years ago and made history by using his ability to be thrifty and thus helped build this country. You can show thriftiness today and be a part of living history.  Journey on!

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[1] – http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=82

[2] ‘ Know the 56 Signers; By George E. Ross

– Character information from €˜Character First!’

-Historical information from Know the 56 Signers; By George E. Ross and  http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=82

Hanna Sims, Teen Blogger