access to my pictures upon starting PSE

Last week, when starting PSE from the desktop, all of the contents in My Pictures would be opened in a total format, that is, all pictures would be displayed, row after row.

This week, after adding a few more pictures, I can no longer start PSE from the desktop at all. I can go to My Computer> My Pictures and select one photo. Then that photo will be opened by PSE.

This sounds to me as if the content of My Pictures has become too large for PSE to handle.

Given where I am with this situation, is there some way for me to "unhook" this connection between the desktop opening of PSE and the attachment with my huge Pictures file?