So during these past few years I too have left part of my previous "Diurnal" life... (crepuscular mostly) like the Barred Owls outside in our huge Oak Tree.." who cooks for you, who cooks for youuu alllll... " (I can still call them in like I/we did on our trails in parks, outdoor and environmental education centers on my nighthikes with both kids and adults) and find myself
doing so from here in the house. i reckon the neighbors wonder.. but probably don't hear.
Back in 1998 I lived for 4 months with an amazing night owl in Austin, Texas. There , on Avenue "B" where I rented a back room from one, ARLEEN POLITE, a strong Black woman Woodcut Artist, martial arts practitioner (Blackbelt in Karate, Aikido to name just a few) Gardening God/dess, I would be sleeping my diurnal self and beautiful cooking (albeit somewhat shocking) of onions and garlic sizzling in a cast iron skillet would come wafting back.. as Arleen was up working her woodcut press, cooking her amazing concoctions, caring for her dog , Caldee and cat Venus.
Arleen had come from Palatka, near here on the St. John's River and I had also known her when we worked together p/t at Wheatsville Coop circa 1985 ( my first time living and working for Austin Parks and RecReation) .
Back then, Arleen was already established as an Austin Artist... doing the local art fairs such as the Sixth street old "" Pecan Street" twice yearly festival, events at both Bookwoman Women's bookstore collective and Chameleons Coffehouse off of Sixth St. as well as myriad other venues, including an amazing mural on there, on the side of Wheatsville Food Co-op on Guadalupe, where i had worked in produce for one of the many jobs I had to have, as (Austin PARD where I worked as a Recreation Specialist ) did not want to pay benefits.
So back in 1998 I wanted to return to Austin from here in Florida, I had been working on a rabbit farm,, still had a few college and other friends there in North Austin... so I did. .....move back, armed with my California seed collection as well as a determination to start anew..
I had answered an ad Arleen, the nightowl, had placed in the local University of Texas daily and moved in and Arleen allowed me to plant whatever I wanted in the backyard... that was March of
1998.
She had just lost her brother and best friend, a fellow Artist and Photographer and
she was trying to get a Masters degree from UT Austin. to be able to further her career and be able to teach her craft. I had been dealing with life post Ovarian Cancer scare and lasted there just over Four months, again working p/t at The Austin Nature Center.
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"Ode to George and Arleen" Watercolor and Crayon on Canvas A Pandemic Premonition By Annie B. Siemer
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All of my seeds in the unforgotten! Texas heat, went straight to seed and by July, I had fled back to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio after retrieving the Vw ( had left back in Cali ) and drove all the way back home.
I had planned to stay one month and ended up staying seven years in Columbus, during which there one summer (around 2002 or so ...darn my shrinking memory) i attended the fabulous Columbus Arts Festival, there on the banks of the Scioto River I met another (small world even then.) Metal artist , Kathy of Katsu designs, who knew Arleen and had passed on her experiences in the UT Masters progrm.. and how badly she was treated there.When I returned here in 2012 to care for my Dad... Arleen had apparently been living back here in Florida, going to Nursing School . I had tried to contacrlt her then, to no avail.
Well last year, I found out that Arleen had passed on to the Great Beyond, just a few months after the murder of one, George Floyd.
I found out "accidently" or as a long time mutual friend, Brian Cutean QTN, said.. "there simply are no quinkydinks ",
By searching for Arleen on facebook and the googleworld. I found this video and I will post it here to allow you to hear Arleen's story answering questions in a 2010 interview,( where as/ her nephew (Son of aforementioned Brother) said " she somehow gained retribution ".
legacy. com/funeral-homes/obituary/arleenreginapolite
As it is nearing the anniversary of her demise, I want to go to Palatka, where I have still never been.. and i still do not know if she is buried there or in Austin or if she was cremated.
According to her obituary link here:. legacy.com/funeral.homes/arleenreginapolite )
She left behind a living legacy of woodcuts and had done The Stations of The Cross in (East?) Austin, where she had been living as an "Artist-in-Residance" for a local church there.
In many ways Arleen and I had parallel lives. I am determined to find my OwlGirlRhythym friend and still hope to find out exactly how she died... A mysterious illness...
Here is a link to the video that seems to be too Large... Larger than life as was
Arleen -The- Nightowl. Goodnight A rleen, Goodnight...
womenandtheirwork.org/archive/exhibitions/arleen-polite