Soil is one of three things, when we are evaluating pH. Acidic, alkaline, or basic. Depending on what you’re growing, you could want any one of them. You modify your soil by using lime or sulfur. But sometimes you just leave it alone and it’ll straighten itself out over time.

“Hold whatcha got.”

How many times have I heard those words? My earliest memories are of working on the farm, stretching fence. “Hold whatcha got,” because I wasn’t strong enough to pull any more, but I could hold what was there. I might have to bear down and dig in, but I would hold.

I am stubborn as an oak when I need to be. Stubborn as a deep rooted thistle, more like, seeing as how prickly my disposition is.

“Hold whatcha got.” As I grew up, of course I made friends. Sometimes it was hard to stay friends when we had a difference of opinion or new people moving in who were brighter and shinier. But if you have a good friend, you better keep them. I’m proud to say I’ve had my best friend in the whole world for thirty years now. She is definitely worth holding onto.

“Hold whatcha got.” Now it was money. This is probably the most recurring mantra for holding on that I would hear in my life. I had saved, but it still wasn’t enough for that saddle, or those shoes, or that ticket to a show. Maybe a relative would come along and help me out, but more often than not I just had to keep saving, and hold on to what I had.

“Hold whatcha got.” Working cattle, hemmed up, or maybe one twisted in the chute. Maybe a cow in labor, struggling. Holding tails, holding the headgate, holding the rope. Just hold. Help is on the way. Don’t let go, and don’t try to be a hero. Just hold on.

“Hold whatcha got.” Ordering products for the Co-op and needing more…but knowing a big sale was coming up if I could just hold on to save some dollars…maybe direct customers towards other products that work to clear some old inventory and hold on to what I had.

“Hold whatcha got.” Helping a friend move: opening a door, letting down a tailgate, taking part of the load.

Your marriage. If you care about it, hold on.

Your religion. You may not understand, and you may be close to losing hope. Just hold on. Things might seem bleak in church when your preacher decides it’s time to leave, or if the organ player runs off with a deacon, but just hold on, it’ll settle.

Sometimes staying static is boring and as Americans we’re conditioned to always be hustling, to want more, to always desire to achieve the highest goal. It’s exhausting, honestly.

When we look around us, it’s easy to see those who are doing better- plenty of people with monstrous houses, multiple houses, three or four cars, boats, RZRs, vacations, horses, campers, you name it. All the necessities and plenty of extras, and everything is the finest money can buy.

It’s also not difficult to look around and see those less fortunate- those driving raggedy cars, houses a-shamble, failing health. They’re holding on by a tenacious thread.

My house is old. With age comes deterioration. There are plenty of things that need to be updated or simply fixed. I would like to have a deck along the back and a screened porch. But the truth is, I can’t keep what I’ve got maintained. I detest mopping and cleaning baseboards and sweeping the basement. I’d love to live on the water. But the thought of packing up and finding a place is daunting. I hate even scheduling an appointment on the phone, forget finding a realtor and getting a loan and all that jazz. Sometimes less is more and I sure don’t want to get over my head.

As time goes by, we lose it all. Our life basically erodes, just like soil. We start out with a big family, and people divorce, people die, people move away. Friends are the same. Some come, a few go, until we’re left with a handful at the end with whom we share interests or maybe just a proximity. Our health starts strong (if we’re fortunate) and then gently wanes. Our intelligence….we build and study and learn…only to forget more and more as we age. None of these can be changed. You can’t hold people, you can’t force people to stay. Sometimes the loss is too much to overcome and you have to simply stop it from getting worse by shoring up and stabilizing. Holding whatcha got means I won’t add to your load, but I need you to do all you can to hold what you’re already straining under.

I say hold what you got. Times are so hard right now, groceries through the roof, building materials out of sight, and gas prices the highest we’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t want to be buying or selling in this market. Be determined, be strong willed, be gritty.

So if you have something….hold whatcha got.