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SJ Couzens

@sjcouzens.bsky.social
262 followers 335 following 192 posts

Ex trapeze artist, most everything left. 💙💙💙🌻🌻🌻

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Reposted by SJ Couzens
Patrick Kapty @patrickkapty.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Grasshopper Figure carved hematite c. 1800-1700 BC Old Babylonian culture Babylon #handmade #carved #hematite #grasshopper #art #sculpture #ancientsculpture #ancientart #Babylonia #culture #Babylon #EuphratesRiver #nature #beauty #ancientBabylonia #fertility #omen #astrology #locusts #foodsource
In ancient Babylonia and the broader Mesopotamian culture, grasshoppers (and their swarming phase, locusts) held a multi-layered, dual meaning. They represented both a positive symbol of fertility and abundance and a destructive force of nature used in divination and dietary sustenance.
In their solitary, non-destructive form, grasshoppers were viewed by Babylonians as symbols of the natural cycle, fertility, and abundance. Because they appeared in large numbers during agricultural cycles, they were tied to the life-giving forces of the earth.
This famous example is a beautifully detailed, nearly 4,000-year-old Babylonian stone weight carved from hematite in the shape of a grasshopper (c. 1800–1700 BCE). Used in markets for fair trade transactions, the grasshopper shape on the weight likely invoked blessings of agricultural prosperity and nature.
When solitary grasshoppers crowded together and transformed into swarming locusts, their meaning shifted drastically. To the Babylonians, a locust swarm was a catastrophic event that could strip fields bare and cause widespread famine.
Babylonians were deeply invested in astrology and divination. Grasshopper and locust behavior was carefully documented in cuneiform omen series (such as the Šumma Ālu). A swarm of grasshoppers appearing in a specific city or flying in a particular direction was interpreted as a direct message or warning from the gods, usually predicting economic ruin, military invasion, or divine displeasure.
Despite the threat they posed to crops, grasshoppers were heavily utilized by Babylonians in daily practical life.
Babylonians actively harvested locusts and grasshoppers for food. Cuneiform records show that mass amounts of these insects were caught, preserved in brine, and transported over hundreds of kilometers to be eaten as a protein-rich delicacy or everyday staple.
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Lindy Williams @ljdubcan.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Today’s Canadian painting is “Mother and Child” painted by Norval Morrisseau in 2005. This is Truth and Rconciliation Day in Canada, a day to remember the harms done to Canada’s first peoples.
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Michelle @michelleroy78.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
As an introvert, if I allow myself to act weird around you, that's like a cat trusting you and showing you it's tummy.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Burnham speech: An astonishing moment of radicalism and commitment iandunt.substack.com/p/burnham-sp...
iandunt.substack.com
Burnham speech: An astonishing moment of radicalism and commitment
It’s easy to be cynical, but it would be false. Something extraordinary is happening here.
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Pops @pops131.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Love it!! 🤣😂🤣
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Helen @helenmaryme.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Michael and Barbara Shetterly lost their 23-year-old son Matthew to an overdose in 2014. His heart was donated to Erv Basdon. Two years later, they met him and listened through a stethoscope as their son’s heart continued beating inside another man. ❤️‍🩹 🥹😭
A crying man and woman stand on either side of a larger man, holding a stethoscope to his chest.
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Brilliant Maps @brilliantmaps.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
How England Could Have Been Sexland Credit: Starkey Comics Who were the Anglo-Saxon? brilliantmaps.com/how-engla...
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Captain Howdy @captainhowdy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Jim Henson was born on this day in 1936.
Edward Hopper's 'Nighthawks', but the man and woman at the counter of the diner are now Fozzie and Miss Piggy. The guy with his back to us is now Bert, but Bert is being operated by Frank Oz, who is crouched down in front of the counter. The waiter/server is now Jim Henson who is looking intently at Kermit, and Kermit, who is occupying half of Jim's right arm, is looking intently at Jim. The diner is now called "JIMMYS".
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Charlotte Engel @rockyenta.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Beautiful Covehead Lighthouse. #PEI #themaritimes #seeCanada
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Séamas Aloysius @seamusaloysius.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Koho Shoda "Moonlit Sea" (1920) Japanese color woodblock print 24 × 16.5 cm (9.5 × 6.5 in). #ArtSky #KohoShoda
Koho Shoda - "Moonlit Sea" (1920) 
Movement: Shin-hanga, which revitalized traditional ukiyo-e collaborative printmaking by integrating Western techniques like the realistic depiction of light, shadow, and atmosphere. 
Composition: The piece features a small fishing boat moving slowly across a calm sea, illuminated by the soft path of a full moon, framed beautifully by delicate silhouette reeds in the foreground
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LAFAYETTE @lastudiolafayette.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
"Either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing."
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
With this picture it really doesn't matter how it's done, if it's a photograph of real life or AI made, it is gorgeous.
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Rob Delaney @robdelaney.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Even if he “can’t help it” because he’s a vampire, I still think what Dracula did is wrong
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
www.facebook.com/reel/1751283... Mark Carney speech to for union with Europe... talking trees
facebook.com
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Gary Buckley @garybuckley.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
© Clarence A. Porter. 'Behind the Gallery.' Pastel on sanded paper, 2026. 36 × 24 inches.
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Archaeology @archaeology07.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Around 40,000 years ago, someone carved a human body with the head of a cave lion from mammoth ivory. Found in Germany’s Hohlenstein-Stadel Cave, the 31 cm-tall Lion Man is among the oldest known figurative artworks—and proof that imagination has very ancient roots.
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Coral King @rocketcoral.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Some of these dahlia flowers in the memorial garden in town are amazing! They’ve really gone the extra mile this year 😍🌼💛 #dahlia
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Luca @lucagalletti.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“20 little bottles containing slightly different masses of mercury so that the oscillation frequency is slightly different.” #wave #pendulumwave #physics #oscillation #springs IG: marcel.clemens.photography Astrophysicist ~ Photographer www.instagram.com/marcel.cleme...
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Pat G🇨🇦 🍁🏳️‍🌈🍉 @pguist.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
🇨🇦 leads the way for other middle power countries to build trade options away from only 🇺🇸
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
One of the coolest things about people who don't have a lot of power taking a principled stand is it lays bare the complete cowardice of the ones who actually *do* have power when they fail to do even a fraction as much.
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The Brussels Times @brusselstimes.com · 16/09/2026
"The state of our Union is the strongest it has ever been. The state of our Union can also feel as precarious as it has ever been."
brusselstimes.com
Security Council, Canada’s EU association and social media ban: Von der Leyen’s State of the Union
Security Council, Canada's EU association and social media ban: Von der Leyen's State of the Union
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clnzjay 🌱 🐶 🇨🇦 @clnz.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
This is much bigger than trade. 🇨🇦💪🇪🇺 EU Commission President von der Leyen is proposing a European Security Council bringing together the EU, Ukraine, Britain, Norway, Canada & others—and an “Alliance for the Future” with Canada. Canada is invited to help shape Europe’s security future. Remarkable.
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
just as it should be
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Michelle says: Be kind. Always. ❤️ @snarkysillysad.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Liatris ligulistylis, also known as meadow blazingstar, is irresistible to Monarch butterflies. They flock to the purple flower for the August/September monarch migration: #AGoodPlace Source: www.reddit.com/r/BeAmazed/s...
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Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu · 16/09/2026
Dear @mark-carney.bsky.social, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible. I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the EU. And create a common prosperity and economic security space.
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shauna @goldengateblond.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
he did many of cher’s and dolly’s most glamorous gowns but what i will always remember most about bob mackie was this iconic look. and i think he’d be fine with that.
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Massimo (mirror) @rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A wonderful tribute to the victims of 9/11 by Sky Element Drones, 2,977 Lights over New York Harbor. One light for every life lost. Original post
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Rory Cellan-Jones @rorycj.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
share.google/AWA0QowotTF2... The RNLI is one of those institutions that make me proud to be British - join me in donating to show your support
share.google
Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea
Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.
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Tuesday Adams ™ 🌹 @tuesdayadams111.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
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Paul Byrne @theplanetaryguy.com · 09/09/2026
Astrophotographer Adam (AJ) Smadi caught this image a few hours ago from Washington state. A thin crescent Moon, sunlight illuminating the rugged lunar surface. And 2,400 times farther away—and on the other side of the Sun—mighty Jupiter, and its moons Io (left) and Ganymede (right).
A crescent Moon seen during the day, arcing from upper left to lower right of the frame. At lower centre is the full disk of Jupiter; the small dots to its upper left and lower right and Io and Ganymede, respectively.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
One reason England does so well is our second generation immigrants outperform their peers which is not true in most OECD countries. We are also very good at integration. And it's v sad that this is never acknowledge in debates on immigration.
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pmamtraveller.bsky.social @pmamtraveller.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Art by Jonatan Maldonado
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Luca @lucagalletti.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
What a moment…💕 IG: Roslyn Farm & Vineyard Charlottesville, Virginia
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Kim @kmbrly.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Stephen Miller doesn’t post late at night because he can’t type when he’s in his bat form.
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Mark Hamill @markhamillofficial.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
It doesn’t get any cuter than this, folks. 😍
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David W. Pippy @davidwilliampippy.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Good morning! On a Halifax Pier photographed in Nova Scotia by Shane Paris.
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Brilliant
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Nicolas Robert @robertsnickc.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
#Sculpture, statuette of a Hippo made of Egyptian faience (c. 1783-1640 BC) #art #Egypt
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
It's magic
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SJ Couzens @sjcouzens.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Peekaboo
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Pharaoh Hatshepsut @netjeretkhau.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
#SoSickOf the good ones leaving us
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bennythesnitch.bsky.social @bennythesnitch.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
They repeated this many years later youtu.be/NEE9RFDniN0?...
youtu.be
Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris - After the Gold Rush (Official Music Video) | TRIO
YouTube video by Linda Ronstadt
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Wait That's Interesting @waitinteresting.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The moment when rescued kitten gets cuddles for the first time
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Dr. Mar @boldnewme.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
"I have loved Cat Stevens from the first time I heard his voice, heard him play the guitar, and heard his wonderful, touching, deep lyrics." -Dolly Parton
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Toss @stevenspoints.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I really cannot think of a greater honor than to have the Muppets say this about you upon your passing
Instagram post from the official Muppets account: Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry. As a performer he was unparalleled - witty, charming, unnerving, and deeply funny. We will always consider it one of our greatest treasures to have been part of Long John Silver’s crew. Thank you for everything, Tim.
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𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚜 🖊️ 🎥 #𝕎𝔾𝔸𝕨 @thepeterbriggs.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I'd never heard of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library before yesterday. But I'm a supporter of libraries, and of books, and I love a good logo. So here it is. #booksky
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British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A sad time for music and book lovers alike. Dolly Parton was not only an extraordinary songwriter and performer, but a passionate champion of reading, putting books into the hands of millions of children through her Imagination Library.
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Rebecca Thompson 🦋 @rebalynn.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Taormina Station, Sicily, Italy. 1928, architect Roberto Narducci
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Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Dolly Parton on Johnny Carson.
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