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Kessi World

Mindful travel around the Pacific Northwest.

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View from a bedroom window looking at the shining light of the Heceta Lighthouse. The yard in the foreground is full of green grass and surrounded by a white picket fence.

What does access to nature really mean, and can it help save the planet?

December 5, 2021

A breakfast conversation at Heceta Head Lighthouse inspires examination of whether access to nature is helping save the planet… or not.

Continue Reading What does access to nature really mean, and can it help save the planet?

A drawing of Sasquatch from a Coast Salish artist depicts him walking in the forest with rounded trees. He has piercing blue eyes and purple mouth with black drawn in features around his face. The rest of him is different swirls of browns depicting fur.

Sasquatch is my friend

September 24, 2021

Sasquatch is my friend. I don’t know him in the way that he comes to my house and eats dinner with me, but he’s with me in spirit. I have a 4×6 postcard depicting him walking in the forest, weaving around rich green trees. He sits near my computer — looking at me with piercing…

Continue Reading Sasquatch is my friend

Matthew Kessi stands at the summit of Mt. Rainier

How Mt. Rainier taught me a lesson in humility

August 29, 2021

Reflections on a climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier, and the learnings around humility that would inspire me 10 years later.

Continue Reading How Mt. Rainier taught me a lesson in humility

Celebration and remembering this 4th of July

July 4, 2021

How the curated conversation of the Hibulb Cultural Center offers an engaging way to learn and remember on this 4th of July celebration.

Continue Reading Celebration and remembering this 4th of July

Ranching reflections — guarding the gate of discovery and connection

June 20, 2021

A trip to the Zamwalt Prairie near Joseph, Oregon reminds me of early formative learnings about quiet contemplation in nature.

Continue Reading Ranching reflections — guarding the gate of discovery and connection

The bar inside the cozy refined country brewpub Tiger Town Brewing. The shelfs are full of various unique bottles of whiskey and other familiar items as well as fresh lemons and juicers on the counter.

Tiger Town Brewing — Surprising kicks on Route 26

May 23, 2021

Like the winding Route 26, a restaurant experience at Tiger Town Brewing in a Central Oregon hamlet takes interesting turns through diverse terrain.

Continue Reading Tiger Town Brewing — Surprising kicks on Route 26

A dead miniature tree leans from out of a broken clay pot in a museum piece. The tree is white and several spindly branches line the trunk up and down.

What kind of ancestors do we want to be?

May 9, 2021

The twisting path of an inspiring bonsai museum brings to life a Mother’s Day message of gratitude and one large looming question about legacy.

Continue Reading What kind of ancestors do we want to be?

Vibrant colors of the Painted Hills tell me to chill

April 25, 2021

What happens when the excitement to “see it all” mixes into a “bucket list” outing to the Painted Hills in Oregon?

Continue Reading Vibrant colors of the Painted Hills tell me to chill

Journey to a hole in the wall

April 11, 2021

What happens when “the call” to explore comes and the conditions are less than perfect to answer? Follow this account of a blustery beach hike.

Continue Reading Journey to a hole in the wall

A bicycle is propped up along the path at Shark Valley in the Everglades National Park. The paved road is narrow and border bright green grasses on one side and lighter yellowish marsh land on the other. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds.

Alligators in Shark Valley — an Everglades adventure

March 28, 2021

All the promises of Spring are alive on a day trip to Shark Valley, in Everglades National Park.

Continue Reading Alligators in Shark Valley — an Everglades adventure

Wild Tory Island — the magic of remote Ireland

March 14, 2021

Tory Island is a wild wonder, nine miles off the rugged coast of Donegal in Ireland. This article pays homage to the magical rock and my Irish ancestors.

Continue Reading Wild Tory Island — the magic of remote Ireland

Snow crystals pile up on a budding Daphne bloom, making it's way to push through the snow. The green leaves are light yellow on the ends.

Snowflakes, dancing light and the Milky Way — love is in the air

February 14, 2021

A blog about love and nature. Mother Nature is our biggest Valentine, so head outside and take a look around to find that love is in the air.

Continue Reading Snowflakes, dancing light and the Milky Way — love is in the air

Missing bustle and broken giraffes — Airbnb host reflections a year into the pandemic

January 31, 2021

This Airbnb Superhost has different feelings about a broken giraffe and all the bustle 12 months into the pandemic. Follow along for his reflections on a year without foreign visitors.

Continue Reading Missing bustle and broken giraffes — Airbnb host reflections a year into the pandemic

A bronze statue of a father passing on a shipbuilding tool to his young son. They are standing in front of a giant propulsion screw of a ship.

Bracing in Bremerton — exploration in the time of the storm

January 17, 2021

A day trip across the Salish Sea to Bremerton reveals questions and answers about life on the precipice of a monumental week in the USA.

Continue Reading Bracing in Bremerton — exploration in the time of the storm

A view through an airplane window looking out at mountains covered in snow.

Portal to a new world — happy 2021

January 3, 2021

What do travel and the transition from 2020 to 2021 have in common? Do they both offer us a portal to a new world?

Continue Reading Portal to a new world — happy 2021

Winter’s light at Solstice

December 21, 2020

Inspiration from Winter Solstice towards more light in the year to come, including reflection on the bright stars above at nighttime.

Continue Reading Winter’s light at Solstice

A powerful waterfall blasts down a cliff of lava rock into a churning pool of water below as mist disperses throughout the hiking trail, barely visible. Two visitors walk along a path guarded by a brown fence amongst lava rock cliffs with green ferns and moss clinging to the sides. Silver Creek Falls is an icon in Oregon for the statuesque beauty.

Water’s way to wash 2020

December 6, 2020

Water is the healing element of Fall. Let Silver Falls State Park in Oregon inspire cleansing away all that needs to go in 2020.

Continue Reading Water’s way to wash 2020

A model of the Sled House, designed by architect Konstantin Ikonomidis for the Nuuk Nordisk 2019 festival in Greenland. The design is atop an actual sled created from wood and a structure with posts and slats only put together by rope and pegs fitting in holes.

What does home for the holidays really mean?

November 22, 2020

It’s easy to think about going home for the holidays, what was does HOME really mean — especially in the time of a pandemic?

Continue Reading What does home for the holidays really mean?

Bright red autumn leaves on a lone tree branch shine in the sun amongst a blue sky backdrop.

Pringles along the Taoist “Way” — celebrate the little things

November 8, 2020

Reflection on a travel journey to the birthplace of Taoism, in China, and all that comes with celebrating the little things while being open to “The Way.”

Continue Reading Pringles along the Taoist “Way” — celebrate the little things

A Tesla Model S sedan sits on the deck of a Washington State Ferry with open Puget Sound waters in the distance against a cloudy sky. The vehicle is a metallic gray blue and shows the prominent Tesla hood ornament on the front. There are other cars behind the Tesla and the metal structure of the ferry are painted white on the ceiling above.

Tesla Travels

October 25, 2020

What happens when a travel writer tests out a Tesla Model S for a road trip around rural Whidbey Island? Tune in for reflections of electric vehicle travel in the Pacific Northwest.

Continue Reading Tesla Travels

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I would like to acknowledge that much of my inspiration comes from living on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

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