Across The Rainbow Bridge

In Our Hearts Forever and Ever

Across the Rainbow Bridge

http://across-the-rainbow-bridge.blogspot.com/

"Duke"

2022

"Kermit"

July 2020

"Johnnie"

Oct. 2017

"Tao"

January 2014

"Willow"

July 2012

"Keira"

2009

"The Journey"

An Original Poem about pet loss and our love for them.

 

Dedicated to All of our Dozens and Dozens of Beloved Pets

By Michele Bilyeu

Salem, Oregon

Douglas, Alaska

"The Journey: Across the Rainbow Bridge"

"There is a place, the Rainbow Bridge, with colors of all hue…
It stretches through all space and time, to connect my heart to you

You were, you are, forever more, a part of all held near...
My inner child, my joy, my love, my little one so dear

My heartstrings stretch across the planes, to all my eyes can see…
To that inner world where all is felt, that keeps you close to me

When loved ones leave on journeys, across that Bridge of Light…
And hearts connect through love that’s shared, the beautiful and the bright

Through darkest clouds of pain and loss, to journeys that cross all time….
We fly on wings not of our own, our hearts, our spirits shine

We feel the sun's rays through us, we breathe in time, and space…
The hardness softens gently, the heaviness abates.

One moment measured out in time, one chord of celestial song…
Across that bridge, where magic waits, one heart light moves along

I feel you near, you comfort still, a sweet presence, not far apart…
The angels gather ‘round us both, in the gardens of our heart."

"The Journey: Across the Rainbow Bridge"

By Michele Bilyeu
copyright 2009

With Heart and Hands
www.with-heart-and-hands.com

Johhny

2017

Dash
2015


Willow
2015

Keira 2009


 
 Taffy 1970

Merry Christmas!

 

And to all a loving and happy home!

Dedicated to the Animals Dearly Loved or Still Searching For a Forever Home 

Loss is so hard...

Two more of our precious little feather kids were viciously attacked and are gone. It is so heartbreaking to know that either the dog from two acreage parcels over got more of our girls, or if it was a wild thing..a really big owl or a raccoon.

It is heartbreaking, each and every time. Raised from tiny babies, by either us or those that had to give them up to and we took them in, their are so loved by us. They are completely free range in the daylight but safely put into a coop and a night roost for the dark when wild predators seek food. Now, only the brighter black and white one still with us.

This time we lost Matilda, our old funny looking and absolute favorite of 8 years who has been attacked by dogs at two homes a total of 6 times. This time to not survive. Only a huge pile of feathers along with ...

Dorothy, one of our young'uns from a year and a half ago. We raised her from a few days old on, first in the dining room and then at 5 months in a coop where we blend her and two others, Edith and Little Nell into the brood of at that time ..Mathilda, Penelope, Ping, Pia, Gigi and Georgette. 

We lost Gigi and Georgette..not a single sign of the attack so most likely a dog or something really big, Pia of what might have been natural causes, and then Penelope and Little Nell to the dog..who brought them home as prizes as dogs and cats are naturally inclined to do.

And now these dear little two.

Gathering Around Pia

The most tender and beautiful thing happened this week. As our sweet Brahma chicken, Pia, began the process of dying, all of our other six chickens gathered around her and kept her company for many long periods over the course of  her last two days of transition.

I have heard of that happening in elephant families, but never in chickens...and it touched me deeply. People who don't understand how we can love chickens as pets, and enjoy their sweetness and their activities, don't understand what makes a simple creature into a beloved pet.


And in a time, when life's challenges have stepped up the pace, when it seems like we are frantically busy dealing with the health and problems with extended family down here in Oregon, with our own little family and helping them through personal challenges and with increased challenges among my Alaskan family, putting life in perspective is crucial. As someone who is always working on, and always trying so hard to stay positive when stressors increase and multiple, to do what needs to be done without getting my own energies scattered or frantic, and still be loving and caring for others, it is such a grounding and such a centering to look at something like this and understand just what it stands for in so many ways.

To me, all of  life is meaningful. I see everything that happens to me, and around me, as signs and symbols to guide me, to give me signposts as to where I am on my own spiritual path, and on my life's purpose as well as its journey. Just watching this little scene play brought tears to my eyes and great love into my heart.

Pia passed two days later. But before she passed, as one of our shyer chickens, I was amazed that she sought me out.....over and over and over. While she could still walk she would come up to me and just stand by me. And I would talk to her softly and stroke her feathers, I would tell her that I loved her and that I was so sorry that she was sick.

When she could not longer walk, no longer stand, we carried her in and out of the coop into the shade so she could at least watch her companions and allow them to come and visit and support her. I would bring little shallow bowls of water, and simple, soft foods like rice and even if she could not eat, then at least she knew I cared.

An this truly, is what my own journey is all about. Life is all about seeing and understanding, feeling and putting those feelings into action and most of all about being there for those we love

How lovely to be given this reminder in our own lives, and in the lives of the world, and religious leaders like the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who impact us with their messages in so many different ways. We are truly one family, and members of one world... and it so much better to unite than to feel and be separate.

Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares her creative and healing  journey from Alaska to Oregon. Wildcrafting and the textiles arts... sewing, quilting, and creating prayer flags. Join me as I add my healing energies to changing our world..one little project, one gift of sharing from my heart, at a time.

The Journey: An Orignal Poem About the Crossing Over of Pets on the Rainbow Bridge

The Journey:

Across the Rainbow Bridge
There is a place, the Rainbow Bridge, with colors of all hue…
It stretches through all space and time, to connect my heart to you

You were, you are, forever more, a part of all held near...
My inner child, my joy, my love, my little one so dear

My heartstrings stretch across the planes, to all my eyes can see…
To that inner world where all is felt, that keeps you close to me

When loved ones leave on journeys, across that Bridge of Light…
And hearts connect through love that’s shared, the beautiful and the bright

Through darkest clouds of pain and loss, to journeys that cross all time….
We fly on wings not of our own, our hearts, our spirits shine

We feel the sun's rays through us, we breathe in time, and space…
The hardness softens gently, the heaviness abates.

One moment measured out in time, one chord of celestial song…
Across that bridge, where magic waits, one heart light moves along

I feel you near, you comfort still, a sweet presence, not far apart…
The angels gather ‘round us both, in the gardens of our heart.

With Heart and Hands

Original Poem by © Michele M. Bilyeu 2009

This Original Poem was inspired by the sudden and immensely painful loss of my precious Keira,
Sweet, Sweet Keira,
I’m so truly grateful for the 7 years you held your sweet face so very close to mine.





Post Note:

In my lifetime, I have been so blessed to have had over 75 pets. I cannot say that I loved them all the same. In fact, it is not always easy to love scorpions, or black widow spiders, or even turtles, or lizards, or iguanas, or rats. But someone in my family loved all of those, and I grew to if not love them, then still help to care for them. 

And so all of those and many dozen more animals of most species have shared our hearts and our home at one time or another. We have had visiting animals just show up...a cow, a goat, many horses, multitude of dogs and cats and chickens to join our own precious dogs and cats and chickens, and many lost animals needing our help to reunite them with their owners. 

And we have! It's amazing really but each and every owner has said the same thing..."It's as if they knew to come here that you loved animals and would help them find their owners when they were lost." We have, we did, and it wasn't always easy but we've never failed. And if they were orphans, or even feral, we took them in and I have cried over their losses and mourned deeply.

Willow, Our Beloved Cat

"The Journey: Across the Rainbow Bridge"
 With Heart and Hands

An Original Poem by Michele Bilyeu
Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska 
www.with-heart-and-hands.com


There is a place, the Rainbow Bridge, with colors of all hue…
It stretches through all space and time, to connect my heart to you

You were, you are, forever more, a part of all held near...
My inner child, my joy, my love, my little one so dear

My heartstrings stretch across the planes, to all my eyes can see…
To that inner world where all is felt, that keeps you close to me

When loved ones leave on journeys, across that Bridge of Light…
And hearts connect through love that’s shared, the beautiful and the bright

Through darkest clouds of pain and loss, to journeys that cross all time….
We fly on wings not of our own, our hearts, our spirits shine

We feel the sun's rays through us, we breathe in time, and space…
The hardness softens gently, the heaviness abates.

One moment measured out in time, one chord of celestial song…
Across that bridge, where magic waits, one heart light moves along

I feel you near, you comfort still, a sweet presence, not far apart…
The angels gather ‘round us both, in the gardens of our heart.

With Heart and Hands

© Michele M. Bilyeu

Our beloved little Willow, now 18 years old, died today with me by her side all day, loving her, petting her soft fur, and letting her know that the Rainbow Bridge was within sight and that it was all right to cross over it.

I told her how much I loved her, what she had meant to all of our lives from the first day that she was a surprise 9th birthday gift for our youngest daughter.

Oh, and such a wonderful, wonderful surprise. Through so many hard times and challenging days, she was always there for us to hold, to curl up with, and to love.

She was always, always 'the best gift ever' and she will always be just that...a true gift to all of us.

We'll miss you with all our hearts, sweet Willow...... for we all loved you so!

Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska.

Keira's Journey: Crossing the Rainbow Bridge

(June 29, 2001-February 20, 2009)

In memory of my precious Keira and her new journey I wrote the following poem:

"The Journey: Across the Rainbow Bridge"

By Michele Bilyeu

With Heart and Hands
www.with-heart-and-hands.com

***************************************************

There is a place, the Rainbow Bridge, with colors of all hue…
It stretches through all space and time, to connect my heart to you

You were, you are, forever more, a part of all held near...
My inner child, my joy, my love, my little one so dear

My heartstrings stretch across the planes, to all my eyes can see…
To that inner world where all is felt, that keeps you close to me

When loved ones leave on journeys, across that Bridge of Light…
And hearts connect through love that’s shared, the beautiful and the bright

Through darkest clouds of pain and loss, to journeys that cross all time….
We fly on wings not of our own, our hearts, our spirits shine

We feel the sun's rays through us, we breathe in time, and space…
The hardness softens gently, the heaviness abates.

One moment measured out in time, one chord of celestial song…
Across that bridge, where magic waits, one heart light moves along

I feel you near, you comfort still, a sweet presence, not far apart…
The angels gather ‘round us both, in the gardens of our heart.

With Heart and Hands

© Michele M. Bilyeu 2009

For my precious Keira,
I’m grateful for the 7 years you held your sweet face so very close to mine.


And for our Beloved Willow, Who we were truly blessed to have so lovingly in our lives for 18 years.

Thank you for having been in our lives for so very long. We miss you, always.

Goodbye Sweet, Sweet Boy: Our Tao

We took our precious boy, Tao, to a sudden.... and unexpected final goodbye.... and the journey home on the Rainbow Bridge yesterday.

For Sweet Sophie, Gentle Gigi, and Gregarious Georgette...yes, I dearly love our pet chickens, and each girl was such a sweetheart!

And for Gypsy and Snitzy, our beloved dogs, and Magic, the first beloved black cat, who showed up as a stray, rode home on our shoulders, and opened drawers as if by magic. 

And for Taffy, my little 'cat in the hat', who died during our house fire in 1971, but not before saving the lives of my parents, and my 4 younger brothers, by waking them all up and then hiding and not found by the firemen. 

And to Pandora, and Bitsy, and Rusty, and Dusty, my childhood cats, and to Star, who got canine distemper in Alaska when no vaccine was yet available.

Miss you all!~

And last of all, for all of the pets, that are given so much love as they pass across, by families and children everywhere, by compassionate vets and their aides. Thank you for loving animals.