Things that make a house a home

What makes a house a home?  For me it's not much, a cat and a teapot and an apple tree (I used to say "and lots of friends and family" but I've gotten used to this solo lark and enjoy the peace).  I wonder if it's what you're raised with?  Vertical meme transmission at its best.  For the last year, I've missed my apple tree: the small north-facing yard didn't look like it would grow anything or have the space for anything worth growing.  It would need a dwarf-stock espalier-trained tree, something good and native to handle the possible damp and gloom and scorching. 

Today I found a dwarf-stock espalier-trained Cox's Orange Pippin, two tiers, just perfect for my sunny wall.  The last year has proved that my assumptions about the garden were all false: Devon is a trump card over all growing conditions.  Play Devon on your hand, and slide Fecundity to max.  Weeds hip-high in February.  Wheat as a weed.  Slugs the size of ferrets.  If you look closely on a bottle of Pathclear, you'll see small print next to the claim, "Keeps paths weed-free for six months" reading, "Not applicable in Devon where only Biblical salting of the earth will slow anything down, and even then, keep a flymo handy."

So tomorrow I'm planting an apple tree.  This is the very best of domestic chores.