Madrone

I think Madrone is one of Al's favorite trees.  We used to have one alongside our house, when we had a house, and Al's office space window was at the level of the top of the tree.  He loved to watch the seasons change, and the birds that came to rest in this tree's branches, especially the robins that came to feast on the berries every fall.

Unfortunately, we do not believe that tree has survived.  When we sold the house, there were very few green leaves remaining.

We do see many Madrone trees here in the San Juan Islands, some of them are very large.  Most look like these that we found on James Island -- leggy, and often with bare branches.  Wikipedia tells of a mold that is attacking them, but most often it is man's progress that stunts them, or removes them.

The hope of a bright bloom among the bare branches