In 1976 I resigned my position as Professor of Hebrew Bible at the School of Theology at Claremont and Professor of Semitic Languages and Literature at the Claremont Graduate University at Claremont CA. I was concerned about world food problems, and I wanted to save a ranch. Also I felt the need to take time to smell the roses. After leaving the academic scene I moved to a ranch in Round Valley, CA. These poems point to some important moments from 1976 to 2011 in my life. Also my response to those events and some thoughts about my work are summarized in these poems. For me it was important to work on the land, and as a human, to relate to the other animals in our world. We are all a part of nature.