You want some Madeira with that?

One thing I love about this time of year is the Echium that are in full bloom. On the hill where I live, there's a patch that raises its head every Spring, begging for attention. These purple darlings, commonly known as Pride of Madeira will probably be bright like this for another few days. They generally do well in poor, dry soils and attract the company of bees, butterflies, and birds.

Naturally, for me there comes a bit of nostalgia knowing that they won't last for long, and that I'll just have to save some patience to see them again next year. To that, I raise a toast to the other good thing from Madeira.