A new tradition was born as part of our weekend in Kansas City: bocce on the long lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum and Sculpture Garden. Or perhaps bocce anywhere we gather and have access to a servicable bocce set.

Please go to www.bocce.org for further information on the sport, its history, and its rules. Certainly, our version–termed “extreme bocce” by several passers-by–bends the rules in numerous and important ways–which is to say, any terrain is fair play, as long as it does not risk damage to the bocce balls. I’d say it is a cross between lawn bowling, billiards, and miniature golf.

An excellent weekend, Toby and Peters. Good form. You were greatly missed, J. E. and Ned.

Happy Halloween, and a good All Souls’ Day ahead.

–Shotts