As an add on to our Great Smoky Mountains trip, we stopped in at Carl Sandburg’s estate in Flat Rock, NC before flying out of the Asheville airport (or not, as it were). The house itself was undergoing renovation, but probably all as well with the time we had and with a toddler. The estate itself was worth the stop even if we skimped on learning more about the famous author. From the parking lot, you walk around a reflective lake toward the house at the top of the hill (more of a rugged climb than I anticipated when I opted to bring the stroller — we had sent the hiking carrier home with Dad). From there, little guy had fun spending time in the goat barn with some kitties and the descendants of Mrs. Sandburg’s goats. In the late summer, we watched goats frolicking in the field with the sun hitting the first of the falling leaves like flecks of gold ~ poetry!
