Bristol’s Mount Hope Farm is a favorite place for a walk, and maybe a stop at the pond on the way to Cove Cabin to feed the resident ducks and swans. The walk has been a pastime for Bristol residents Al and Val Carreiro for many years, but last year, following back surgery, the trek became significantly less enjoyable for Val.

“I got so tired,” she said.

“It’s quite a walk, really,” said Al. “And people like her need a place to rest, and all you have here are big walls and rocks.”

Al and Val both came to the United States as teenagers; he from San Miguel and she from Terceira. They met in continuing education classes here in Rhode Island and were soon married.

Val found work as a nurse’s aide at the Desilets Nursing Home in Warren, while Al was a realtor for 36 years, operating Bi-State Realty until his retirement about five years ago. They raised four sons together, and now have four daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren, ages 7 to 33.

“They have been married for 60 years, and they still want to walk together every day,” said their daughter-in-law, Cindy Carreiro. “That’s true love!”

“I said, ‘Al, it would be such a good idea if we had a couple of benches over here so people like me could sit down, take a rest, a then walk again,’ ” said Val. “And Al said, ‘well, I can do that.’ ”

“So we went home and went to Home Depot, got the materials, and he started building the bench. And I sad ‘Oh, that looks good!’ ”

Al has built two benches so far, and he has started building two more. He plans to build six in total, to be sited at locations from the pond all the way to Cove Cabin. According to Val, woodworking has long been one of Al’s many talents.

“My husband, he’s very handy,” she said. “He’s made a couple of pieces of furniture for me, which I’m quite proud of. In the winter he likes to keep himself busy, so he goes downstairs. He has all his woodworking stuff down there.”

When he’s not working with his hands — or walking — Al is a diehard Red Sox and Patriots fan, while Val likes to crochet gifts for her daughters-in-law and spend time with family.

They also love to travel and have been to many far-flung locales together. Val says that at 79 and 85, they are slowing down a bit, though looking forward to their 60th anniversary celebration this April and their 20th annual all-family trip to New Hampshire in September.

As they sat on their bench on an unseasonably warm February day admiring the duck pond, Michael Hoffman, who oversees buildings and grounds for Mount Hope Farm, drove past on his way to Cove Cabin. “At least 15 people have come to the office to tell us that they think these benches are wonderful,” he said.

Soon all six benches will be in place for all to enjoy, because Al wanted Val to be comfortable and able to continue to enjoy one of their favorite activities together. According to daughter-in-law Cindy, it’s just who they are.

“They embody that quote, ‘if you can be anything, be kind.’ They have always been so giving,” she said.

“I am so blessed to have their love and kindness in my life.”