Spring equinox gets suitably celebrated by the residents of Lowville; first performance of the hit song - Lowville’s Favourite Spring Things

By Pepper Parr

March 19, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Revised: video included

If you were driving north on Guelph Line Wednesday night just a little after sunset you would have passed 30 or more people walking along the side of the road with flaming torches in their hands.

Given that this is Lowville – and Bronte Creek runs through the village and one never knows exactly what’s in the water – there was every reason to wonder what these people were doing out on the road.

Lowville sculptor Walt Rickli leads the citizens of Lowville on a celebration of the Spring equinox with torches blazing

The event was to celebrate the arrival of the Spring equinox – that time of the year when daylight hours are equal to dark hours.

The idea came out of the ripe, supple mind of Lowville sculptor Walt Rickli, who clearly had nothing better to do.

The idea took on a life of its own when neighbor Cathy Cole bumped in Rickli’s friend Janet – they decided a song was necessary and went looking for someone with a guitar.

Rickli sent invitations out to everyone in Lowville and some of his Burlington friends. The publisher of the Gazette got included in that list.

Torches lit the way as the world moved to the point where the darkness was equal to the light and spring could poke its nose out.

He thought it was a news release and quickly put together a story on the event. Literally minutes after the story was published Rickli and Cathy Cole began getting emails from friends – saying great idea – I’ll join you.

This wasn’t what Rickli had in mind – so he dashed an email along to the Gazette – asking us to take the story down – the event was for the people of Lowville only.

The story came down but not before a decent number of people read about it – proves the power of what the Gazette sets out to do.

Janet and Cathy relax after their performance of   – an event that will not make it into the summer program at the Performing Arts Centre.

Lowville’s Favourite Spring Things

With the sun set and the Spring Equinox underway – the kerosene soaked torched were brought out – lit – and the walk began. Out on to Lowville Road, across a bridge over the Bronte Creek, across “Mary’s front lawn” – everyone knew who Mary was and along a drive way until they got to Guelph Line, south on the Line to Lowville Road and into the room with the rum soaked punch.

Were there bylaws broken?  Probably.  Were permits obtained?

The Lowville Singers – with an interloper from Burlington to give the sound some depth.

Then the entertainment – Cathy Cole, Janet and a few others did the first public performance of a song that will be sung just once a year – unless Walt Rickli decides to hold a winter solstice event.  Sung to the tune of Sound of Music – the rendition heard in Lowville will not make it to the stage of the Performing Arts Centre.

Lowville’s Favourite Spring Things

Fiddleheads in forests we all love to pick
Peepers are peeping and the leaves they get thick Signs that there’s life in Lowville in spring
These are a few of our favourite things.

If you lived between the two Lowville “gates” – you were probably on Lowville Park Road with a torch in your hand as the Spring equinox arrived.

The river starts running, the trout start to jump The doggies of Lowville they all start to hump Park staff returns and they all start mowing These are a few of our favourite spring things.

When the ice jams, when the creek floods And Cathy’s feeling sad
We simply remember our favourite spring things And then we don’t feel so bad.

Sonny’s on his tractor and Kim’s back in town There’s Simon with Cindy, she’s in her nightgown Walt’s garden’s alive and the sculptures running These are a few of our favourite spring things.

People start running the steps up to Highville Barbeque smoke wafting up from the park grills The Bistro’s now open six days so we sing These are a few of our favourite spring things.

Birds are back singing and Ben’s outside tagging Judy’s with Penny her tail is a wagging
The Powell wagon gets covered, a sure sign of spring These are a few of our favourite things.

Lowville torch bearers preparing the march through the community to celebrate the arrival of the spring equinox

When the bugs bite, when the weeds grow And we’re feeling mad
We simply remember our favourite spring things And then we don’t feel so bad.

A fun evening in a community that certainly has its act together.

The song can be heard on YouTube – Click here – not to be missed.