A Review: The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms by Bobby McAlpine & Gifts From Nature

43 thoughts on “A Review: The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms by Bobby McAlpine & Gifts From Nature”

• Thank you Mary,that was so relaxing with the babies.i live in phoenix and had bunnies born in my courtyard.

• Thank you Mary

  I’ve loved Bobby’s work for many years . I’ve never purchased one of his books , I will now .
  Your bird story was so heartwarming . I wish more people appreciated the birds we are so blessed to hear and watch from our windows !

• I am definitely getting this one!

• Mary, This post was particularly soulful, from Bobby McAlpine and on to your own "home within." It takes a lot of heart and soul to live in a home for a generation or more. It starts talking to you at a certain point, doesn't it? ALL your observations on your home rang so true to me, who lives in a 1939 wee gem of a house and yard for 26 years. I love watching the birds and other critters enjoying the trees I planted that are mostly mature. Your bird names are hilarious!! Anyway, I also share a feeling of respect for the prior owner, and sense of leaving a legacy.

• What a wonderful book. The music that went along with this book was so wonderful. I don’t know why it struck a chord with me but I just love that music

• Thank you so much Marry❤

• Thanks for the calming and soothing narrative I've been meaning to tell you whenever I need a relaxing moment I check in with you this one with the birds was so fairytale like it took me thank you for summarizing every episode it was classic enjoyment as with all your endings

• Thanks for that fabulous book and the Flying of the Wren 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

• I prefer the soft side of nature myself after living through hurricane Idalia last year. But I'm thankful 🙏 for the minimum amount of damage.

• Love your house and garden tours! Your back porch is beautiful. I have a small balcony container garden in Atlanta, and every spring a mama and daddy bird build their nest and keep watch over their baby. So relaxing to witness the growth. However sometimes we haven’t always gotten along. Last year they built their best in a topiary by the back door, every time I came out the mom or dad flew right past my face, pretty close a N d scared me to death, I learned to shake the topiary so it flew off and I could sit outside. Enjoy your post every Friday!

• Love your house and garden tours! Your back porch is beautiful. I have a small balcony container garden in Atlanta, and every spring a mama and daddy bird build their nest and keep watch over their baby. So relaxing to witness the growth. However sometimes we haven’t always gotten along. Last year they built their best in a topiary by the back door, every time I came out the mom or dad flew right past my face, pretty close a N d scared me to death, I learned to shake the topiary so it flew off and I could sit outside. Enjoy your post every Friday!

• Thank you for another wonderful book review. I will never have the budget to hire such a talented professional but design books always inspire me to create the perfect spaces for my lifestyle. I’m so sorry your beautiful home was damaged but I appreciate your thoughtfulness to restore rather than to take a cheap shortcut.

• Oh, I could relate this week! I had a pipe leak under my slab, then the shower began to drip, then the outside faucet split, and my house is only 50 yrs. young. I was not as hospitable to the wrens as you were. One tried to build a nest in the wreath on my front door. I had to keep discouraging her/him.

• Hi Mary !! another great book you shared with us ! How disappointing about your lovely home, however it can be repaired and what matters most is you will get through it ! I know when bad things happen it can be stressful and we think what next?!?!! Be thankful it was not worse and life goes on !! Love the sweet little bird family! Hugs Paula

• Mary, I love your channel and this video I really thoroughly enjoyed more than any other. I’m buying this book for one thing and I loved seeing all the charming details of your beautiful home. The slate roof – just stunning. Costly but so worth it. Thank you for sharing this and have a wonderful weekend!

• What a lovely video. 🇨🇦🥰

• Another wonderful book review, thank you! I do enjoy the soft side of nature too. We've watched two sets of nesting/baby birds so far this season. Wrens and Phoebes. Loved your flowers too. Oh how I miss those wonderful steamy area flowers. And how wonderful to live in a historic house. (Ok, just realized I used wonderful 3 times, but I mean it!) Looking forward to the next video, thanks!

• Oh my… I do feel your pain with the water damage! We had traipsed off to the Mexican riviera for a bit of R&R. The last evening we were there, I received a call from our house sitter telling me that a pipe under the kitchen sink had burst! I directed them on how to shut the water off at the main valve and began chewing my nails! The damage was traumatizing…
  But as we exhaled, we began to see the silver lining and soon decided that we may as well do some renovation while everything was turned upside down!
  It turned out beautifully!!!
  I would not wish that experience on anyone…

  Lovely as always 💕 Enjoy your weekend! We will be blessed here with two gorgeous days 🎉 Look for your silver lining…😂

• That was lovely thank you. Mc alpine is a fabulous architect- and my favorite is the soft side of nature…..whether it comes in feathers, fur or with hair like your kitty. ❤ They make a home. The soft side of nature- in all forms. 😊

• As much as I loved your book review I loved your story regarding the ups and downs of owning an older home. Your home is just lovely! Look forward to more glimpses into your home and the travels you sometimes take us on near and far. Love it all!

• Oh Mary! What a fabulous video! Touring your porch with your feathered friends was delightful, the music was perfect…and their names so clever.♥Thank goodness for your beautiful gardens, a truly welcoming respite from the nuisance of home repairs. It’s times like that I’m reminded of the popular television shows Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie…the repairs would vanish with a twitch our nose or blink of our eyes.✨🌟✨Thank you for a perfect beginning to the weekend!

• I can so relate to living through a restoration process as I too am doing so presently. Glad the little birds offered you a respite from the ordeal. So charming!❤

• The book was marvelous,I watched the first of videos several times,but was not sure ,did he use a garden urn as a sink,if so I am stroking ♥️ I have to have this book,I saw a house that he did in Nashville near my grandson’s home. Yes Mother Nature is a cure for a lot of things,but. sometimes she causes us problems. Your garden is beautiful,I have to have something in the house even if is grocery store flowers or birch sticks ,of course always a few orchids since they are so cheap now . Your story about your feathered friends crack me up …our yard looks like a bird sanctuary we have baby blue birds ( the is a camera inside the box) baby tree swallows their mom will dive bomb if too close …. baby downy woodpeckers,and many more we have feeders ,I know some people don’t feed in the summer,but we do.We sit outside every time we get a chance ,especially early and late in the evening…..I tell my husband this what OLD PEOPLE do for entertainment 😂 better than TV .🌿🍃

• I really thoroughly enjoy your book reviews, but I love even more your stories about your home afterwards. It’s so interesting and beautiful. I too had the privilege of watching 2 mourning doves incubate, hatch and develope a foot outside my back door on a table! I photographed the whole thing and at times got within a foot of them with my camera. When they left I felt like they were my babies taking their first steps. What a magical experience.

• I am sorry for all the necessary things you are having to deal with. We love the birds and watch and feed and enjoy so many….Orioles, wrens, hummingbirds and many more..

• Mary, you are really such a good storyteller, and your mellifluous voice doubles the enjoyment of your words. I just love your channel and look forward to a pause in a usually hectic Friday afternoon to relax and immerse myself in the witty, gracious entertainment of your channel. Thank you so much!

• Thanks you for sharing. So sorry for your trouble s bit so glad you are maintaining the historical integrity of your home. I have baby birds at my front and back door❤

• Oh Mary, you always bring such wonderful content to us.
  The book for today was beautiful!! The music you choose each time is so wonderful and calming as is your voice.
  I am so sorry for all your challenges with your home. I am so happy you were able to replace the stone shingles on your roof. Your home is grand and gorgeous. Your sense of humor is the best!! The precious birds nesting in your little porch area was so heart warming. Your comparisons between the birds and actual people were bang on. Nature really does have a way of helping us put things into perspective and helps us appreciate the beauty around us that all too often we don't stop to admire. Keep strong Mary!! I look forward to seeing you again soon! 🌺🦅🌸🕊🥀

• I’m sorry you’ve experienced so much with your home lately. But I so appreciate you for being such a good custodian! I feel a failure on the soft side of Mother Nature: I just got rid of a barn swallow nest on our front porch. We loved watching the babies but hated the poo all over the front porch. I keep telling myself we’re putting trees in our treeless landscape for them – though I don’t know that they will build their nest in a tree. Alas, you are a better custodian of Mother Nature than I am. And your jewelry collection is more extensive than mine 😉

• I loved this video, beautiful book and photography. What a sweet tale of your porch and your visiting nesting birds. I had to laugh at the little one named Boris, being originally from England I see the simularity of the scruffy hair do on that one. Take good care until next time and hoping your repairs and renovations are over forvthe time being.

• Love this video…..and love the story of Boris and McEnroe…..perfect names !!!!

• Love you two as a couple you are so cute together and your videos are top notch.

• Oh Mary I am so sorry about the house damage. We’ve been through it and have more to go here. At some point we have to fully move out of our house to have the floors repaired and/or replaced in our 90 year old Miami home. I am not looking forward to that transaction. Your home will be a shining star once again. That we can count on.

• Yay! “This book ‘has’ 240 pages” instead of “This book ‘is’ 240….” which often caused a quick gasp as, just for a second, I thought it was the price!

• Oh Mary this is beautiful I love this time you take to share with us your voice is so calming. I thank you so much for this channel. You will never know the friendship the kindness you show. It’s so appreciated. Love you the next time.

• What a sweet video. Thank you for that long sigh we were all needing❤❤❤

• Hi Mary…this glass was 1/2 full as you found the silver lining to your current woes! The soft side of your video made for the cutest story and one I won't forget anytime soon. This bump in the road will pass soon and all will be well to your lovely home (enjoyed the history too). Yes, Alabama, way down south and high of 96 today. Really liked Bobby McAlpine's book review ~ Enjoyed the fun parts…next Friday,

• What a lovely video. Thank you!!

• Mary,
  Thank you for another great video. I am sorry for your string of troubles and hope your restoration is smooth and uneventful. Loved BORIS! Thanks for reminding us of the soft side of nature.

• Oh no! I'm so sorry for your troubles! I hope the "sunshine" returns!💙

• … love your calming videos, Mary. Thank you!

• Love your videos.

• I’m first.

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