I have now been in Virginia for two weeks and I cannot believe how fast it has gone! I have started to really get to know the horses and yes I have a few favourites. As a typical 'Derbyshire lass', I was not sure how I would find life in the States and I guess I was a little apprehensive. However, I am starting to settle into the American way of life and although there are certain English curiosities that I know will never leave me (a decent brew, a properly formed queue and a trip to the 'loo' - not restroom!) I must admit that I am already growing fond of the American culture.
In the last week or so, two of the other interns and I have discovered that there is an outside public pool in Middleburg. This came as welcome news to me because I have had a lot more time off recently and it is a great way to relax. It is also the only time when I have been actually cool since I got here! It is so refreshing to get into the cool water after being continuously sticky from the hot, humid weather.
I have managed to capture a few more wildlife pictures this week. I have also seen a bald eagle, vultures, many pretty colourful birds, dragonflies and herons. It is hard to explain how alive with nature this area of America is - as you walk through the fields you are continuously serenaded by the songs of birds in the day and frogs at night time. Every time you look over your shoulder there is rustling and movement and you always have the feeling that there are the eyes of many animals upon you that you are not aware of - it is quite remarkable. A few of the other girls have also seen a 5 foot long black snake, which has been named 'Henry', but I have yet to meet him.
On my days off, I have been running regularly and also doing a lot of walking. I have been searching out interesting looking areas to visit on google maps and the other day I came across a lake that I decided to hike to. It was approximately a 5-6 mile walk, which doesn't sound much but in this heat it makes a huge difference to the amount of water you need - it can actually be dangerous to go too far due to the fact you might run out of water. I managed to find the lake and some of the views that I saw on this walk literally took my breath away - I have rarely felt this, but I see what people mean when they say the landscape 'moved' them. The valleys were covered in hundreds of different species of butterflies and the countryside was completely silent with the exception of an occasional aeroplane heading for the nearby airport - everything is so unspoilt.
On Wednesday, Kaitlin and I took a trip into Leesburg - it was nice to be able to see some different scenery away from the farm and Middleburg! It was the first opportunity I have had to be able to buy some of the things I needed and we went to a Walmart. Those of you that have never been to a Walmart - it is awesome. It is like a mixture of Primark, B&M and Asda all crammed into one giant shop - super cheap and they literally sell EVERYTHING!
Kaitlin then took me to a strange restaurant for our tea called 'IHOP' which apparently stands for the 'International House of Pancakes'. I was rather unconvinced at the prospect of eating chocolate chip pancakes along with bacon and eggs for my evening meal - but apparently it is normal over here to eat breakfast at tea time and sweet with savoury, so I decided to embrace the culture with both hands. I have to say it was absolutely DELICIOUS. Their bacon is slightly strange - very salty and more fatty than ours, but still, it was incredibly tasty and I could quite happily eat breakfast for my tea at IHOP on a regular basis - although I might get chubby so it's probably best that I don't!
Sorry if this is a bit gross to those of you who aren't used to veterinary techniques, but I felt it has been my most important experience yet so I simply had to share it. This week, I had my first opportunity at performing artificial insemination on a mare, which I have been learning the theory of for two years but have never actually seen performed. The process was much simpler and quicker than I had imagined - as it seems very complex when studying about it. It was a very exciting experience and one that I will never forget - I have now bred a mare called 'Femme' and she will hopefully be confirmed to be pregnant in the near future - I will let you know!
In the last two days, there has been several thunderstorms at the farm as we are experiencing the edge of a hurricane that is moving through North Carolina. The storms are much bigger than the ones we usually have and the thunder and lightening can go on for several hours. The rain pours down warm, rapid and in huge droplets; it is almost like you are under the shower head before you turn the heat up. A thunderstorm caught me out on a run today and I ended up getting absolutely drenched - so I gave up trying to out-run the rain and when I got back I decided to stand underneath the warm rain - it was really refreshing. I never thought that after living in Buxton for so many years, I would actually enjoy rain!
I will be updating my blog again in about another week so make sure you check back again soon. It should contain all the details of July the 4th celebrations, foal handling for Lexington horse show and much, much more!
Thank you for reading and take care :-)
Charlotte xxxxx