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A small white historic church with a pointed steeple and cross stands at the end of a straight paved walkway, surrounded by lush tropical plants and a low stone wall. Dark, dramatic clouds fill the sky behind the building, and the year “1853” appears above the entrance. This is St. Benedict’s Painted Church in South Kona, Hawaiʻi.

St. Benedict Painted Church stands bright against a storm‑laden Kona sky, its 1853 façade framed by tropical gardens and a quiet stone wall along the hillside of South Kona.


I am always interested in unique and interesting architecture. The Painted Churches on the Big Island of Hawaii certainly fall into that category. ​If you are an architecture or art lover or just like to visit churches, I would consider them must-sees.  Just be aware that these painted churches don't reveal their secrets on the exterior. You must go inside to discover their beauty!


I have a funny story about that! On one of our visits to St. Benedict's, my husband was out in their fantastic garden, mostly trying hard to stay out of my way. He was enjoying the quiet and the birds when a car hurriedly wheeled into the parking lot. This guy jumped out of the car and loudly proclaimed, "I'm not sure why they call this the Painted Church. It's just white!" Before my husband could tell him to go inside, he was back in his car and had sped away.



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A pair of ponies graze in a shady pasture beneath large, leafy trees, with a wooden fence running behind them and sunlight filtering through the branches on a bright summer day.

A mare stands watch over her four‑day‑old foal beneath the prairie trees at the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, South Dakota, a quiet moment on the family’s original claim

​I have a confession to make: I was 50 before I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series. I can hear the collective gasp of all the shocked women reading this post. Blasphemy, I know!


In my defense, when I was about the age when all the other little girls were madly absorbing these books, playing "Holly Hobbie" dress up, and dreaming about being Laura, my local librarian marched me over to the adult section of the town’s public library and handed me an Agatha Christie novel. I never stepped foot in the children’s section of the library again.


Looking back, I’m not sure what I was doing when the television series came out because I didn’t watch that either. Oh, I saw an episode or two, but without the background of the books, I really didn’t get it. Maybe it was just too “girly” for me; I hated pink, didn’t play with dolls, and was the only kid in my neighborhood with a complete football uniform, shoulder pads, and all.


Needless to say, my husband was more than a bit skeptical when I suggested driving up to DeSmet, South Dakota, for a “Little House on the Prairie” weekend.


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Explore Waipio Valley's stunning overlook and iconic black sand beach, veiled in atmospheric vog. A must-see on your Big Island adventure!

Overlooking Waipi'o Valley

Visiting Waipi'o Valley on the Big Island of Hawaii has been on my bucket list since 2006. We were on a seven-month assignment on Maui then and had hopped over to Hilo for a weekend visit. We planned to hike the volcano, see waterfalls, and drive down into Waipi'o Valley.  I had done all the research, rented the jeep, and was raring to go, but then we simply ran out of time. I failed to plan for the driving time, not realizing how much larger the Big Island was than the other islands. Plan accordingly; from Hilo, it is an hour and fifteen-minute drive, and from Kailua-Kona, you are an hour and a half away. That's no stopping to take pictures or sightseeing but straight drive time. 

Fast-forward 11 years to 2017. When I received the news of the Big Island assignment, my first thought was, "I finally get to see Waipi'o Valley!"  
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A red covered bridge marked “Hogback Bridge, Built 1884” stands over a rural road at sunset, its white railings leading into a wooden lattice interior. Golden light washes across the surrounding green fields and trees, creating a warm, peaceful evening scene.

Hogback Covered Bridge glows in the warm light of an Iowa sunset, its 1884 timber trusses framed by rolling fields and a quiet country road.

When you hear someone refer to "The Bridges of Madison County," I bet your first thought is the movie with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. If you are an avid reader, it's the best-selling novel that preceded the film by a few years. Many people are not aware that those beautiful covered bridges Clint's character went to photograph are located in a picturesque area of Iowa, less than an hour's drive from Des Moines.


One of Iowa's newest byways, the official name for this area, is the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway. At 82 miles long, this drive includes beautiful natural places and unique destinations like John Wayne's Birthplace. There's enough to see and do in Madison County to fill a two—or three-day weekend. But, if you are like me, you may need a second trip to see and experience it all!



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A Sandhill Crane leaps into the air in a jump‑rake display, wings spread wide and one leg kicked outward toward its nearby partner, who appears to be looking away. Several other cranes stand and forage in the harvested cornfield around them, and a line of bare trees forms a muted backdrop.

He gives his best jump‑rake flourish, but his partner, unimpressed by the performance, walks away.

​National Geographic calls the spring migration of the Sandhill Cranes through central Nebraska “one of the greatest wildlife phenomena in North America.” 


If you are a birder, a wildlife photographer, or a nature lover, I consider this a "must-do" for your bucket list!


In 2017, I was lucky enough to spend the entire spring migration season in Nebraska with the Sandhill Cranes! It had been on my bucket list for quite some time. I had gotten a small taste of it 10 years before when my husband completed a two-month assignment in Grand Island. That year, we left at the beginning of March when the cranes were starting to arrive, but what I saw in those first few weeks literally blew my mind!

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Author


Susan Tregoning is a fourth‑generation photographer and Midwest-based visual storyteller dedicated to preserving America’s architectural and roadside heritage. Drawing on her design background and a lifelong connection to photography, she documents historic buildings, small towns, and scenic byways across the region. Her work creates thoughtful visual records that honor the character, craftsmanship, and cultural memory embedded in places that are often overlooked yet define the American experience.