Collected here for the first time are the best of Carol Burdick's "Haps & Mishaps" column, a favorite feature in the Alfred SUN newspaper in Western New York. Rob Price, Editor of the Bath Courier, writes, "These finely chiseled essays offer vivid representations of Carol Burdick's natural world, ranging from a reedy beagle in search of a free lunch to an antique bed loaded with memories; from a doomed road trip through Naples to the ups and downs of operating a wood-burning stove. But they are also much more: each piece is grounded in the rueful, ironic, sensitive perspective of Carol Burdick. To read them is to enter a uniquely wonderful world." And Sharon Hoover, Professor Emerita of English at Alfred University, observes, "Carol Burdick's column helps us to remain sane in the midst of the world's madness. More importantly, it reminds us what we desire for every person in our world: a home place, an appreciation of the local, rich life experiences, friends and family."