snavlr- I'm now only beginning to enjoy my garden. Instead of getting upset that there was so much to do, I count my blessings and really look at what's going on.
Somedays it may be just the robins busily building a nest, on other days I may be cracking up laughing at the young squirrels chasing each other like a couple of toddlers.
Life is good, especially in the garden!

My problem is that I get so caught up in doing whatever it is I'm doing, that I forget to take breaks :-( So I'm ordering a portable kitchen timer, the kind you wear around your neck or on your belt. That way I won't have to keep checking my watch, or, even worse, suddenly realize I've gone *way* past my tolerance level.

Cath (who *loves* laying in the grass under a tree, except in May, which is blackfly season here)

I have seriously started to think and do smaller consequently I believe better. There are only two in this house today and one son to share with. One huge black tarp gets rotated each year leaving me just about a hundred square feet to plant and keep clean. The tarp supports five hills of lopes and one giant pumpkin just for fun. In that hundred square feet goes half a ton of compost early spring.
I plant only four tomato, six each of the cole plants, one teepee of climbing beans, three peppers, two cucumbers, one clump of parcely and six hills of potato. By now the shade of intensive planting has the weeds stunted. The bugs are confused. They can't figure out our plan. One rabbit did for just two evenings until he met his maker. We are poking
our grass clippings as a mulch. The last of the 2001 compost is being put in ahead of the mulch. We are just about ready to stop gardening and finish the year eating. The first tomato will be ready by the 15th of July. Getting it by the 4th. is a hoot here. Did it a couple of times only.

I agree that planning and rest periods help tremendously. Also the winter months give you time to contemplate what you really want to do the next spring. Plans change sometimes but getting the basic idea helps. Nothing like getting out there and suddenly going "DUH", what's next!!!

this is my first year of being totally unable to do what i used to do - i'm lucky a lot of the work i've done in the past has made my gardens as maintenance free as possible - but i'm still often frustrated and not used to my current situation because of all the 'wish' i could do - i guess at least i will have to learn to enjoy the time i have now to smell the roses....thanks!

Great suggestions, that i try to follow.