echsdoc has inspired me to go view the Roman statues from the Louvre, which are only at the Seattle Art Museum until this weekend.

Am pondering taking a few hours off work on Friday and walking down from my office. Any locals want to tag along? 

Otherwise, might try to go Saturday evening before dinner out with Andrew.

Today is "Hidrillez" in Turkey and Anatolia -- a pagan(ish) spring festival. (Wikipedia article here.) Excerpts from the article:

"Hıdrellez, is actively celebrated in rural communities. [ ... ] Before Hıdrellez Day, houses are cleaned from top to bottom, since people think that Hızır will not visit houses that are not clean. New cloths and shoes are purchased to wear on Hıdrellez Day."

. . .

"Hıdrellez celebrations are always performed in green, wooded places, near sources of water, or near a tomb or shrine. Eating fresh spring plants, lamb’s meat or lamb’s liver is another custom in Hıdrellez. It is believed that eating the first lamb of spring will bring health and cure the sick. It is also believed that picking flowers or plants in the countryside, boiling them and drinking the water will cure all illnesses, and that the water thus obtained rejuvenates and beautifies.

Various practices are performed on Hıdrellez night (May 5) in the belief that Hızır will bring blessing and abundance to the places he visits and the things he touches. Food bowls, pantries and purses are left open. Those who want a house, vineyard or garden believe that Hızır will help them obtain such things if they make a small model of what they want.

In Ahirkapi, Istanbul, during the celebrations, wishes are attached to symbolic wish trees. The festival organization accepts online submissions. Wishes are printed out and attached to the symbolic trees by organizers. Wish Form (form is working for 2008 celebrations.)

Ceremonies to improve peoples’ luck are also widespread at this time. [ ... ] The night before Hıdrellez, young girls who want to test their fortune and improve their luck gather in a green place or near water. They place some of their belongings, such as a ring, earring or bracelet in an earthenware jar and close the jar with fine muslin. They then they put the jar at the bottom of a rose tree. Early in the morning, they approach the jar and drink coffee with milk and pray for their peace and tranquility not to be spoiled. They then open the fortune jar. As they remove the objects from the jar, they recite verses or quatrains, and comments are made regarding the owner of the object that is taken out."

Catherine notes: Drinking coffee early in the morning and praying for my peace and tranquility not to be spoiled? That's every day for me. Usually it doesn't involve an earthenware jar closed with fine muslin, or sitting under a rose tree, though, although perhaps it should.