. . . I am no more than upright and unset.

It is by falling in and in we make

the all-bearing point, for one another’s sake,

in faultless failing, raised by our own weight.

John Ciardi, excerpt from Most Like an Arch This Marriage

Charlie rode with me for more shrubs. The walk was all around the yard a million times today, for planting, laying stone, watering new plants, raking, and helping Frank with the most important project, and Charlie helped too. We walked our property cutting vines for the wedding arch. We want to have it in place in case someone decides to get married here on Saturday. We have not yet decorated it, but it’s in the ground, and we left it standing in view of the river. The bride and groom-to-be have not seen it and do not yet know we’ve done this. We think they will like it. We like it. A light rain started to fall in the late afternoon as we finished. In the morning, I have promised Charleston, we will go out for our walk. And our first stop will be here, the river, the arch, to see if it still stands.