Learning in the u3a movement

Gardens and herbaceous borders are vibrant with colour at the moment and it is calming and uplifting to watch the bees feasting on the nectar from the blue eryngiums.

Taken on a local walk above the Thames near Shillingford with a view across farmland towards The Chilterns. There was no breeze or sound. I was struck by the simplicity of the landscape with the softness of the cloud suspended in a blue background in absolute silence.

The theme put me in mind of Picasso's "Blue Period". This is my homage to a great Artist and Confectionary

Art? Abstract? Reality? A small brook in spate in Loch Ardinning Wildlife Reserve. Green foliage as a backdrop; Blue skies reflected as a highlight; browns and oranges of bracken creating further interest. Not photoshopped but existing tones accentuated to make the colours pop.

I was looking for something blue to photograph, then I checked the time on my (blue) watch and that gave me the idea. So I added blue jeans and a blouse to the photo. However after 16 weeks in lockdown with my disabled husband I have put on 9lbs, and apart from the watch, they no longer fit me!!

Etching on a window found at Coventry Cathedral with blue sky behind.

Weather in the North-East has an unfair reputation for being dour - it's been great this lockdown spring/summer. The windmill farm offshore from Redcar makes a fine display sandwiched between the blues of sky and sea.

I loved the way the path took me through the bluebells and disappeared into the distance. It invited me to follow it and see what was ahead... so I did and there were beautiful bluebells everywhere, covering the hillside as far as the eye could see. No photograph would be able to capture the scene exactly but I tried to take a shot which would at least give me a memory of a beautiful day, in spite of lockdown!

This was the only train I saw running whilst in lockdown. I was originally going to auction the train set from my childhood, but my Grandson saw the layout, not for sale now!

An ideal opportunity to combine both of my 'creative' interests, Photography and Drawing & Painting, although it still doesn't help to explain why I've never got the right shade of blue whenever I'm drawing.

A look through the toy box revealed this blue dolphin and he made quite a splash!

I thought these nicely painted and stacked pallets in a local distributors were neatly organised as well as making an eye-catching feature.

Blue is a 'cold' colour, so I chose to photograph a soft, delicate feather juxtaposed against hard, blue ice.

This is an attractive blue detail on a cast iron pillar of the bandstand at Priory Park, Southend on Sea where we recently went for a walk.

There seems to have been more time for these recently! Coping with reflections on the eggcup was the main problem I had to contend with whilst taking this photo.