11 November 2025 – A story balanced on five stones in the water — and a much happier story than the one painted in 11 words on that alley shed door, in my previous post.

It’s a bright fall day. We are hoofing our way along the False Creek Seawall, no end point in mind, just the pleasure of hoofing along.

Then we stop in amazement, to stare at the stepping stones out to Habitat Island.

Usually, practically always, the stones look like the way they look in this Parks Board photo:

a spine of bone-dry vertebrae, on a mounded bed of gravel that, even at high tide, still offers a narrow path for those who’d rather not hop the stones.

Ahh, but, this day is not at all as-usual.

This day follows the super moon (Beaver Moon) of November 5, and therefore it offers us a super tide.

Like this:

We watch, fascinated, as the living beings on five of those stones — human and canine both — make their Go? Stay? decisions.

Fixed stones, active stories.

Left to right:

• on stone # 1 – Red Slacks waits, while…

• on stone # 2 – Small Dog hesitates, not at all sure he wants to leap to…

• stone # 3 – where Dad / Baby Duo look toward…

• stone # 4 – where Reluctant Toddler turns away from…

• stone # 5 – where Loving Mum is tugging his hand and try to coax him forward.

And, all around, the larger context: marine vessels (False Creek ferry, private boat, kayaks); a couple of people already log-lounging out on the island; and even a soaring gull.

It all works out. Small Dog makes the jump; Reluctant Toddler finally trusts Loving Mum; and Red Slacks is rewarded for her patience. Everybody makes it to the island.

We, on the other hand, keep walking the Seawall instead, and end up on Granville Island. Where we do our own prowling for a bit, and then ride a ferry all the way back east.