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BY DOROTHEA SCHLAPPI
Community columnist

Classie (Willoby) Goetz passed Wednesday, May 19, 2021. She was a busy person in her life.

She married Herbert Goetz, raised their family on Chestnut Ridge. She had been on Waynesburg EMS, was a teacher, worked at Cowden’s, and had a sewing business quilting for people at home. She loved to read, and when her eyes got bad, that did not stop her. She got a machine and recordings that read to her. She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.

The other day I was sitting on my front porch, all at once, a very beautiful, sweet smell came by. I at once recognized the smell of fresh locust blossoms coming from my neighbor’s fence row. I couldn’t see them, but could imagine the pristine white cluster of blooms hanging on the trees. The kudzu vine flowers remind me of the locust but are purple instead.

On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in 70-degree weather, shorts, and a T-shirt. Twelve hours later, long pants and a coat.

I got out of bed, pulled back the curtains, and wow, there was snow everywhere. A winter wonderland, 1 to 2 inches of snow. Everything covered and laden down with the white stuff, flowers peeping out. It was a beautiful sight. The weatherman said it had been a very long time since we had that much snow in spring.

Mother Nature likes to surprise us.

There will be a Labor Day celebration at the historical Lutheran Church in Ottenheim this year. More info later.

Having a yard sale in Ottenheim is like having a reunion. We had a yard sale recently and I could not count the people that came. There were old classmates, neighbors, strangers and friends I had not seen for quite some time. We caught up with everyone we knew around and even a few from out-of-state who had been raised here, stopped as they passed by.

It was a beautiful two days and I sure enjoyed talking about old times. We did not have to worry about the virus, COVID-19, as the yard sale was outside.

Recently a man and his wife, having never been in Lincoln County, were touring some of the back roads. They came to the Ottenheim General Country Store just outside of Ottenheim.

They were so disappointed to see it was not one of the old-time country stores. This Amish store is as close as anyone will see in this time, to an old country store.

I recall the old gas pumps out front, the wooden plank porch with a couple of old benches to relax on and gab. Opening an old screen door that slammed behind you and the squeaky hinges.

A somewhat dark welcome with a single, hanging bulb and cord from the ceiling, dark and dirty floors, board shelves holding merchandise, wooden counters covered with plastic flooring, old ringing cash register, pickles in a barrel, pickled bologna in a jar to be taken out and cut a slab from the coil. These are the things I remember from the country store.

The owner of the store would greet you with a big welcome and smile, inviting you to sit a spell and visit.

It would be so nice to revisit one of these stores and sit around the old potbellied stove and warm up.

Be thankful for today is a blessing.