Manana, Manana

Having battled and succumbed to the mañana pace of rural Mallorca in his best-selling Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle, spring sees Peter Kerr and family relaxing into a supposedly simpler way of life, growing oranges on their little valley farm, Ca's Mayoral.

However, even after their tragicomic initiation, Spain has not yet finished with them. Embarrassing subtleties of the language, brushes with the local police, the unfortunate outcome of a drinking session . . . there are surprises aplenty to test the resolve, stamina, and, perhaps more importantly, the sense of humor of this venturesome (the author would say "foolhardy") émigré family.

Their eccentric and colorful new friends are always on hand to help out-for better or worse-and add spice to this engaging account of tranquilo life. Here is the charm of Mallorca: where you seldom do today what can be put off 'til mañana.