Learning Curve

I've decided not to resume the Photography class I was doing, and instead aim to teach myself to use my camera better, using the different features and leaving less to chance, and to process the results more effectively. I've got a book which is basically a glorified manual for my camera, a book about exposure, a couple of manuals about some of the software I use, and I buy the occasional magazine. Today I had a go at using the RGB histogram and exposure compensation to get the detail in vibrant colours of the tulips I bought for our Christmas table, then applied an artistic effect (Dry Brush) in Photoshop Elements to give it a Still Life look. Please feel free to ignore this - it will help remind me what I did here as part of my learning process.
I went down to the river for a stroll today, but didn't take a single photo. I enjoyed watching the birds down there, notably grey wagtails and dippers, but didn't really feel like hanging around to attempt any shots. It's been cold, bright and crisp - icy even in places. Sounds like another storm is on the cards tonight. Hope you all stay safe!