STAY, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

                                              ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Song from the poem "Birds of Passage")

The golden beech tree in my own backyard, the pleasure of knitting and books, the gentle expression of an almost grown puppy, hot, baked oatmeal on a frosty morning--simple gifts of home. 

~*~

Every autumn we make it a challenge to see how long we can go without turning on the heat. One year we made it all the way to Thanksgiving! There was a hard frost last night, and this morning the house was cold. But, I knew it was going to warm up to almost 60° in the afternoon--we would not turn on the heat today. To take the chill off the house, I made baked oatmeal. I may have shared this recipe before, but it bears repeating. Make it to your own taste: you can add dried or fresh fruit, nuts, spices, whatever you like. You can also use other grains for a different texture. I've used Hodgson Mill's multi-grain cereal with quinoa and flax seed with excellent results.

Baked Oatmeal
3 cups rolled oats or other cereal grains
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (you can substitute all or part applesauce)
1 cup milk
Any fruit, nuts, or spices you wish

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes. Serve hot with butter.