(c) Mark Hertzberg (2019)

It is always a joy to mark Frank Lloyd Wright’s birthday at Taliesin at a party hosted by the always-gracious Minerva Montooth and Taliesin Preservation. The celebration, which is always on a Saturday, was on June 8, his birth date.This year we had the privilege of staying overnight at Taliesin for the first time because I was giving a presentation the next day at Hillside about my new book about Penwern, the Fred B. Jones estate on Delavan Lake.

Caroline Hamblen, left, Director of Programs, and Kyle Adams, Events Manager, show Minerva the traditional Frank Lloyd Wright birthday cake, made from his favorite cake recipe.

Dixie Legler Guerrero chats with Minerva.

Carrie Rodamaker, Executive Director of Taliesin Preservation, speaks under a lovely evening sky. This year’s guests were not subjected to the heat and humidity that has beset past birthday celebrations.

Aaron Betsky, Dean of the School of Architecture at Taliesin

Benjamin Feiner played for the guests.

Minerva holds Fifi as the celebration winds down at 9:30 p.m.