My excuse is that ''we make time for what is important to us' and while that is true, there are times in life when you just can't fit everything in and choices have to be made. So while I did not intentionally give up growing things, it became a luxury that didn't fit our world of Parkinson's. It became a luxury living in Colorado that offered endless opportunity for outdoor adventure. It became a 'job' when I moved to a hot climate filled with plant nibbling wildlife. It became a luxury when we had 10 campgrounds within an hour of us and hundreds within a days drive.
With that being such a huge part of my 20's and 30's, I am sometimes a bit shocked to realize how easily I left it all behind. At this point in time I am taking vicarious pleasure in other people's efforts. I can walk around my neighborhood and see other people's flowers, other people's beautiful lawns, and the results of other people's hard work. And of course thank goodness for 2 natural food stores and a great Farmer's Market here in Durango.
I started thinking about all the people I know who actually still find both peace and pleasure paying attention to their gardens. Thank goodness I can enjoy their hard work!