220/365 Gate

I captured this beautiful gate at the rear of St Werburgh's Church on the way back to Bold Lane Car Park with Jodie this afternoon. The church hasn't been a church for many years but looking at this image, you wouldn't guess this was in Derby's city centre (downtown) right next to a concrete multi-storey car park! I was trying out my 40D :0)

118/365 Gate & Saw Mill, Osmaston

The Saw Mill seems to be the usual 'star of the show', but the gate is beautiful too. I had a fabulous afternoon with fellow photographers and a group of walkers on a guided walk at Osmaston which included part of the Okeover Estate. The weather did not look promising, and we did have light rain but conditions improved for the latter part of the walk, so we didn't get too wet. I'll be posting an album on Picasa in due course, but have edited this shot for today's daily pic. For more info about the village and the estate click here.

Many thanks to TB at my photography club for organising it - the afternoon was so enjoyable I'm going to do it again on Sunday, but that will be at Lumsdale, near Matlock. Can't wait :0)

12/365 Lone confetti

A lone piece of confetti clings to the gate of St Edmund's Church, Allestree. This is, I think, the oldest church in Allestree and dates form the 12th Century (although only an ornate doorway survives of the original) and this is the best I could do given low light (!) and no tripod. (Please don't peek at my pixels!) The green reflection is from grass within the churchyard, and some rainwater has pooled on the strap hinge just left of centre. While we are having such grey days I think I'll keep my tripod in the car, and before the year is out, I'll take a shot of the whole lychgate which is rather beautiful.

(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allestree for more info.)

Lychgate: noun, a roofed gate to a churchyard, formerly used as a temporary shelter for the bier during funerals.
Bier: noun, a coffin along with its stand.