The Bridge

By John G. Funchion

This bridge over the brook on the Battell Stoeckel estate offers visual serenity.

To the distant observer, the yellow streaks atop the ancient gray, stone bridge traversing the rain fed stream meandering through Norfolk’s Battell-Stoeckel estate strike a chord of wonderment and curiosity. Closer observation reveals an image created by the plantings of over 200 golden yellow (viola pedunculata) and purple (viola hederacea) violas. They are members of the pansy family of flowers, sometimes referred to as “Johnny Jump-Ups.” Estate manager Joe Veronesi, along with his crew, plants the flowers each year atop the walls of the bridge. Viewers are guardians of this annual floral display embraced and appreciated by walkers, joggers, cyclists, lovers and thousands of attending summer connoisseurs of chamber music. It is very comforting to observe these exquisite, dainty violas awakening to the serene countenance of an emerging morning sun, the gilded sphere that sheds its purple tint on the clouds above. The forty-eight feet long, gracefully arched bridge has stone swirls at the end of each wall, visual metaphors for musical notes. It is a subtle reminder of the rich and harmonious oratorio of countless robins, tufted titmice, chickadees and cardinals in morning song. Built at the turn of the twentieth century, the bridge with its advancing green fungus lending it a special patina, also has a clinging ivy ground cover exhibiting a pleasing array of elite little purple flowers. It has always been a meeting place for friends, local lovers and children. During warm summer days, it is not surprising to find a gaggle of young people and their teachers from the Yale art classes at Botelle School gleefully splashing in the cool stream below the bridge. Barefooted, young mothers gingerly guide their cherished offspring over pebbles in the gurgling brook while listening to the plaintive musical expressions of those songbirds above. That magnificent little bridge and its insistent ambiance is a visual prelude to another summer of chamber music with Beethoven, Brahms, Poulenc and Mozart. And too, it is a gentle reminder of the many bridges we’ve all had to cross in our lives and how important each one was.