Margaret is a wonderful and helpful friend who taught me much about researching songs but even more about the mysteries of juggling life, family, and performing. Throughout the seventies, we visited back and forth many times-- me to immerse myself in her library, and she to chill out among friends while on the road. Often she slept in her big blue van in my front yard, even in winter because she preferrred the crisp cold at night to the heat of my house. My children loved her and felt at home with her. As sweet and cheerful as she is, she can be emotionally extremely forthright about how she feels and what she thinks--and that for me was a great plus as it helped get our friendship off to a rolicking start. I loved the way she combined the sometimes grueling tasks of self-sufficient farm living with her life as an artist-- sometimes complaining a little at the stresses it placed upon her but also taking pride in handling both parts of her life so well. This gave me hope that singing vs. domesticity didn't have to be an either/or situation though she helped me understand that sometimes one or the other might have to take a back seat for awhile.

One of my fondest memories is of the day we got to talking so fast and furiously as she salted a huge, freshly butchered pig and set up preserves for the winter. I remember her hard-working, strong hands moving methodically back and forth from one task to the next-- hands that were just as skillful and surprisingly delicate when playing her dulcimer and lap harp. Suddenly we both realized a terrible thing had happened: she had sugared the pig and salted the preserves. This is a terrible mistake when one thinks not of the evening menu but of a season's food supply ruined. Still, after lamenting her loss, Margaret let on that it was also pretty funny so we laughed and laughed.

It's that kind of double-edged perspective that both delights and inspirea me about her--and I hope I can draw upon it now as I hang on to the joy of knowing her while lamenting that she has to take this all too final road trip too soon and with only the gratitude, love and well-wishes of friends and family for company,