Before heading out, I surprised Jayson with a folder with his birthday itinerary, perfectly entitled Let’s Go!

Birthday Travel ltinerary, page 1.

Birthday Travel Itinerary, page 2.

Birthday Travel Itinerary, page 3.

Beautiful pasture at the sanctuary. \240I love the lush Amish countryside, and I was glad to share this scenery with Jayson.

One of the Speedwell wolves. \240Gorgeous!

Another White Wolf. \240Majestic!

What a stately, smart animal. \240Jayson and I, as well as our tour group, almost got more than what we paid when this wolf just missed killing and devouring a young cottontail rabbit running past his paws! \240

Wolves are most active in the cold winter months, so most of them were sleep in the shade, but we were thankful for the wolves that were visible.

Wolf stuff from the gift shop.

Jayson listening to our tour guide, Starr, informing about the wolves.

Selfie at The Wolf Sanctuary.

Lititz is a small, quaint town near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. \240Jayson and I noticed almost no one using their cell phones. \240People were friendly, and they spoke and welcomed us as we walked the main streets, often stopping to ask if we needed help. It was such a nice time.

Jayson and I in front of the historic Wilbur Chocolate Factory in Lititz. \240Next time, I’ll have to arrange a tour of the factory!

Great photo capture, Jayson!

The Wilbur Chocolate Factory Tour wasn’t an option at the time of our visit, but Jayson and I enjoyed some of the chocolate specialties from the retail store.

Although I pre-planned our visit to this restaurant; I had no idea the goodness and charm. \240The menu offered a myriad of food options. \240I chose the Call Keto Fold with carrot fries, while Jayson opted for the tomato pie with carrot fries. \240Needless to say, the meals were delectable.

Happy 41st, Jayson! \240

A special place, for a special person. \240

Olio’s Olive Oils and Balsamics

This place offered a wide variety of olive oils, truffles, pesto, etc. \240The store was well appointed, and the staff and owner were friendly and accommodating. \240I’ve been to a few places like this, but this store had the most extensive and diverse oil catalog of all the shops I’ve visited.

After sampling a few of the truffles and pesto, Jayson and I decided to purchase a few. \240Good stuff!

This place wasn’t on our itinerary, but it caught our attention. \240Jayson and I like kombucha, so we decided to venture in and give this place a try.

I like they make kombucha in house. \240I’m glad we stopped.

I sampled the Black Jasmine, Fruit & Flower, White Tea Lemongrass, and Hibiscus Mint Tea. \240The samples were so good, I bought a bottle of each!

The rustic charm, common in the shoppes of Lititz.

A couple of the kombucha bottles I purchased from Renewal.

The Cake and Cup Bakery of Lititz! \240This place has a sweet, friendly staff. \240The Bakery is small, but is well decorated. \240

Unfortunately, the bakery staff was sweet, but the cake was not! \240Jayson and I agreed that it must take extraordinary talent to make a near tasteless cake! \240Amazing! \240At least the cake was beautifully decorated. \240

This hotel didn’t disappoint. \240It’s gorgeous from the inside out. \240Thank you to the wonderful staff who allowed us to check-in a couple hours ahead of time.

Jayson and I thought it was magical, that we were assigned a room on the fourth floor, on his forty-first birthday. \240Cool!

We loved the aesthetics and decor of the hotel.

I brought the XBOX along, so I could dominate and beat Jayson in the Trivial Pursuit game.

Spacious bathroom with sliding doors that mimicked a case for a music instrument. \240Fits the overall theme of the hotel, I guess..

Jayson reading some of his birthday cards and opening some of his gifts.

Jayson took me to the planetarium for my birthday (a lifelong wish and long story), and I discovered we both have interests in science and astrology. \240One of the gifts I bought him was this t-shirt with the planets and their signs. \240He likes it! \240

I’m glad we checked in early. \240The hotel pool was nice, and we had the time to enjoy it privately.

One day, I’ll catch up to Jayson in the physique department. \240I thought I captured a flawless candid.

Me, enjoying time and water.

You can’t tell it from the picture, but it was raining. \240The pool windows offered the perfect view to the outside greenery and landscape. \240The perfect storm, if you will.

A view of one of the side courtyards from our room. \240Magnificent!

Perhaps my favorite picture of Jayson. \240Handsome, smart, inquisitive, and observant.

The food and service here is fantastic. \240It was the exact place to celebrate Jayson and the ethereal, magical day.

I’m glad I was able to honor my friend this way.

Jayson and I decided this would not be our last time in the remarkable town of Lititz.