Rolle bolle is still on at tavern

With Ray's Evergreen Tavern on the west side of St. Charles in the process of its major makeover with new owners, it appeared that one of the recreational activities offered there since the 1930s would be lost in the history books.

Rolle bolle, the Belgium lawn bowling game that was staged behind Ray's on summer weekend nights for decades, has been transplanted a few miles west on Route 64.

"We have rolle bolle now at Little Jim's Country Tavern in Virgil," Rolle Bolle Club vice president Larry Bollaert said.

Bollaert, who also has served as the club president, said the tavern started its Friday night rolle bolle two weeks ago.

"We're welcoming new players, and as soon as the weather gets warmer, we should have a lot of fun," Bollaert said. "It's a mixed league on Fridays, but we're looking at starting a women's league on Wednesday nights, too."

Bollaert said the games are on a "pay as you play" basis, meaning for $5 a player can compete in as many as three games.

In a bit of an ironic twist that shows he can't break his ties to rolle bolle, Bernie Deutsch, the former owner of Ray's, said that Little Jim's Country Tavern is located on his family's former farm property.

Theatrical success: If you are lucky enough to visit New York on occasion and keep an eye on the theatrical offerings in that great city, the name of James Lindenberg might not stand out -- unless you were a friend of James during the 1960s and 1970s in Geneva.

Lindenberg is the youngest of seven children who call successful Geneva businesswoman Jamie Daniel their mother. And he's been making a name for himself in New York theater for some time, with his most current success being as the writer and director of "The Set Up," being staged at the ArcLight Theater on West 71st Street.

"James has a lot of friends who still live in the area," Daniel said of her son, who was born in 1961.

"He played soccer and took acting, singing and dancing lessons at Hofstra University, and after a short stint working in Chicago, he moved to New York City in the early 1990s."

Daniel said that her son comes "home" to Geneva every six weeks or so to visit.

Floral financial institution: I don't drive around town looking for the nicest floral arrangements at buildings, so this comes with the help of my wife's keen eye.

We couldn't help but notice the beautiful tulips and azaleas in front of Park National Bank on State Street in Geneva at the Anderson Boulevard stoplight. We suspect it is one of the better floral displays for a financial institution in the area.

Feather these crimes: The art sculptures in Mount St. Mary Park enhance what is already a great park to walk around, so it was disappointing to hear that one of the sculptures was stolen.

This isn't the first, and unfortunately won't be the last, public park to get vandalized. I'm leaning toward bringing back tar and feathering as the punishment.

dheun@sbcglobal.net