The sun was shining and the sky was blue — just the conditions to make a visit to the Joslyn Lawn Bowls Club a must.

The subject of lawn bowling had come up last week when I found my table companion was Douglas Dow and his wife. I'm not quite sure how the subject of lawn bowling came up, but it became clear very fast that he loved the game and participated in it on a weekly basis.

Now you may think that I don't know much about the sport, but I spent much of my time as a child sitting on a bench at the lawn bowling green while my mother played. Not many women were allowed to play with the all-male team, but my mother proved that she could play as well as any one of them.

Remember that my hometown was a small village in South Wales, and males reigned supreme.

Lawn bowling had its roots in England and has been played since the 13th century. In the United States, there are more than 100 clubs, and it is played by more than 5,000 men and women.

The game is played with a special ball that is contoured so that it won't roll in a straight line. One must get as close to the jack — a smaller white ball that has been placed by a member of the group — as possible. Sounds simple, but it's not.

I sat down with Bob Smith, a former firefighter who is vice president of the group, and he provided me with a host of facts. The club is open to all, young and old, women and men. It is situated behind Wilson Center on C Street in Oxnard. Currently, they have 82 bowling members and six associate members. They are open from 9.30 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Marcellus L. Joslyn, an industrialist, provided the startup money for the bowling green, and it is now a program of the city of Oxnard.

My recollection of the bowling green in my hometown was so different. There, because of the constant rain, the green needed mowing regularly. I remember the smell of that freshly mowed grass so well. In Oxnard, the club has the opposite problem. Because of the weather, the greens become dry and scarred quickly, and the club is thinking of putting in permanent artificial turf. A grant from the city might make that possible.

There is a wonderful story about lawn bowling. Apocryphal though it may be, it shows the fervency that players have for the game. Sir Francis Drake in 1522 was involved in a game at Plymouth, England, when he was notified that the Spanish Armada had been sighted. He waited a second and said, "There is plenty of time to win the game and thrash the Spaniards, too." He then proceeded to finish his game, and the British Navy soundly defeated the Armada.

The Joslyn Lawn Bowling Club has a wonderful offer for anyone interested in learning the game. The club will lend you the necessary equipment free and provide you with coaches who will tell you how to play the game, as well as make you aware of game etiquette. The members seem a very congenial group and like having fun. I was amazed at how members who had physical disabilities were able to play so well.

Remember, too, that this is good exercise. The bending to roll the bowl can only help, and it is all played in the fresh air. When you think that you have enough expertise to win some of the club games, you can compete against other clubs, and enter tournaments and league games. I do hope that you visit the club and find it interesting enough to partake in a game of bowls. Call 385-8034 and arrange for someone to show you how.

Car safety

Be extra cautious when driving your car. A woman recently found herself being dragged on the street because someone opened the car door in an attempt to steal her purse, which was on her shoulder. When you put on your seat belt, lock you car doors at the same time. Be safe.

— Star columnist Margaret Nesbitt welcomes comments and suggestions about subjects of interest to seniors. They can be sent to undeg@verizon.net.