what says home to you?

today here in the north east, we have a winter storm. (this is being written 11/26 at night-you'll see it tomorrow morning)
it's cold, wet, raw.....and generally miserable to be outside.
(i didn't bring all the ducks out, and the ones i did take out only stayed out about 3 hours before i decided they needed to come in the house)

i was however outside a good part of the day. there were big things afoot out there and i was in the midst of them.
i'm in the house now and waiting for bernie to come home.
it got me to thinking... what says home to me?

i remember when i was young, before i married bernie, coming home on a day like today to the smell of mom's cooking when i opened the door with the slight steam that went with it,...... to a warm house due to the fire in our fireplace (we heated with wood in a giant masonry heater/fireplace) and the yellow glow of the lamps in the living room.
i would take a hot bath or shower, get into my nightgown and robe, snuggle my toes into slippers... and sigh.
i was home- i was safe - i was loved.

now my folks and childhood home are long gone.
and our current home is VERY tiny, and a lot cluttered- books overflow almost everywhere.
we also keep a very full pantry, all over the main part of the house as well as the basement - we don't have closets either.
but it's warm thanks to our woodstove, there is always something cooking it would seem, and we keep the lights dotted around low. (we also keep some 'christmas light's on all year round in the studio...the tiny led fairy lights)

it's lived in for sure
by us, by the pets we have, even at times by the uninvited  mouseguests.
one other thing that wasn't always done at my childhood home.... we normally listen to classical music in the fall/winter
my preference is baroque
it's on low, as i can't abide loud noises... but it soothing to me
after supper (tonight is beef stew i made and froze a while ago) i will knit, while bernie works on a model car.
the cats will snooze in front of the woodstove.
*** i uploaded a video of our woodstove from a few years ago, it still looks the same, so i figured you all may like to see it.....

so now.............

my question to you all... what says home to you?