I left my heart in Wellfleet

Verdun is amazing. Here, the colony of fiddler crabs is replaced by a colony of snails moving along carelessly on the pathway next to the Saint-Lawrence river, until careless pedestrians step on them in an unfortunate encounter that claims many lives. If my job was to write snail obituaries, my life would surely be fast pace.

At night, I generally watch fireflies light up my backyard in an awkward ballet that always leaves me amazed. They provide the only lighting which sometimes helps me find my way to the shed to store my gardening tools. Helpful little creatures!

Nobody steps on them. But in the best case scenario, they live only a couple of months. Who ever took the time to tag a firefly in order to determine its lifespan?

The night ballet is all about finding a mate and the light we see comes from males. OK guys, I have one more trip to the shed so don't stop courting.

Our Hamblen Park is called Parc des rapides and in both cases, bird watching is the main attraction, with the blue heron my personal favorite. Its fishing skills can only be matched by the formidable osprey. Good luck fish!

Most of what I see in Verdun is somehow a reminder of Wellfleet. It's been three weeks since I got back and I cannot stop thinking about the clock, the tennis courts, the fiddler crabs and the lifesaving horseshoe crabs which are largely underappreciated. Without them, no medication can safely enter the market.

I am now back to my daily routine, but part of me remained in Wellfleet, just next to the farmer's market, beneath the clock whose enigmatic rythm is now tuned in to my heartbeat.