Most  cameras come with a free photostitcher, but I use a commercial one called PTGui.  Originally built around “panorama tools” (a free suite of programs and libraries), but has since relied on it’s own engines.  It can stitch photo’s  taken in a typical horizontal fashion, but also in a matrix (both horizontal and vertical).  It will automatically match and blend them.  A demo can be downloaded, but the actual price will be $119 for the personal version and $225 for the pro version (which includes batch processing and support for 64 bit windows and HDR images).  I haven’t been able to justify the $110 difference (yet.)  You get updates for 1 year after that the update (rather pricey, I thought) is $38 for standard PTGui and $68 for the pro version.  Price aside, if you take a lot of photos of landscapes and such, take a look.  I use it and recommend it.  In fact, if you look for the tag panorama on by blog, you’ll see a fair amount of pictures using PTgui

I’m not sure if roadside crosses are prevalent outside of New Mexico. All these pictures are within 10 miles of my House. I’m not sure how I feel about them. I intellectually understand the need to pay respects and remember your family, but when does it cross over to self-torture and continued depression. When do you just stop and go on? I don’t know, but it’s a southwest thing for sure…  (assorted last names were intentionally blurred)  Addition, I’d be somewhat remiss if I didn’t throw in this link I found with an irreverent view on the subject: http://www.porkjerky.com/rip/

Corrales, New Mexico

The mountains in the distance are the Sandia mountains that are visable anywhere in the Albuquerque area.  You can’t get lost if you tried; the mountains are always in the east.

Huge Pair of Legs in Amarillo

You can read more about it here.