Dries Buytaert
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Miscellaneous 2024
Enjoyed my first
Burns Night
with friends dressed in kilts, haggis, authentic bagpipe music, toasts, and thoughtful poetry.
Getting mic'd up for a discussion on the future of digital healthcare with Jeff Walpole (CEO of Phase2) and Deanna Ballew (SVP of DXP & AI at Acquia) at our Boston headquarters.
We hosted Owen Lansbury, the current Chair of the Drupal Association, at our house while he was in Belgium for a conference. We talked about Drupal for hours and shared a wonderful dinner together.
View from our rental apartment in Les Arcs, France. We got up early to prepare breakfast for our family and saw the sky turn purple as the sun came up.
Stan has been excited all week for our raclette night in the French Alps. And true to tradition, he ate more raclette than anyone else. Stan, the raclette-champion, strikes again!
The geese are back in Boston. Warm and sunny days are coming!
Axl preparing dinner in the evening light.
Ben and Ione celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary at the "Spiegeltent" in Rijkevorsel, Belgium, where their married life began ten years ago.
A solar panel being tested on the floor in our laundry room. Upon connecting it, it started charging a battery right away. It feels truly magical. Of course, it won't stay in the laundry room forever so stay tuned for more ...
My solar panel and Raspberry Pi Zero 2 are set up on our rooftop deck for testing. Once it works, it will be mounted properly and permanently.
After nearly a decade of dreaming about it, we finally bought a Big Green Egg. We are breaking in this culinary legend with its first roast — a pork shoulder that will be smoked over 8 hours today. Wish us luck!
Stan smiling as we sing "Happy Birthday" to him.
Baddý kicking off the 20th edition of DrupalJam in The Netherlands and about to welcome me to the stage. DrupalJam was a fantastic event with great energy, engaging conversations, excellent presentations, and reconnecting with old friends.
Both of my sons have their own unique journey in school. One has to work harder and put in more time, but I'm equally proud of them both. School results aren't always a reflection of their capabilities. Their hard work will benefit them in all aspects of life.
Watching my kids study for their high school exams made me reflect on how much of our lives we spend studying. It's a significant part of life, yet often overlooked. Even though I spent 24 years in school, I realized I don't have any photos of myself studying. So, I grabbed my camera and took some photos of my kids hard at work. One day, they might appreciate looking back at these moments and seeing how hard they worked and how much they grew.
Just like my sons, I spent hours at my desk during exams. Mostly studying, but also dreaming about all the things I'd rather do once summer vacation started.
The exam period means they are spending hours each day glued to their desks and buried in their books.
Just before she left, we gave the birthday girl a bunch of balloons. Her smile said it all!
We spent a few days camping on Texel, a Dutch island. We hiked over 12 km (7.5 miles) across beaches and dunes, cycled more than 40 km (25 miles) on scenic roads, explored local villages, and enjoyed BBQs on our portable charcoal grill — all while trying to embrace the unusually chilly, overcast June weather.
It's been two years since our last van camping adventure, and here is the morning scene: sore legs from a long bike ride the day before, a half-finished bottle of wine, toothbrushes drying, a Bluetooth speaker playing good tunes, eggs ready to boil, and fresh coffee brewing in the background. The photo may not win any awards, but to me, it's pretty perfect.
I spent a few days in Bulgaria for an offsite with the Drupal Core Committers. It was my first time visiting Bulgaria, and I came away really liking the country. The Cyrillic alphabet made the experience even more interesting.
I enjoyed a beautiful evening at a waterfront restaurant in Burgas, Bulgaria.
Fireworks illuminate the sky and ocean at Cape Cod on the 4th of July. What I love about this photo is not just the fireworks, but also the person on the jetty lighting them.
We spent a few days exploring New York, and since Stan is a sneakerhead, we checked out some sneaker stores. Every time I walked in, the employees would immediately size up my shoes. I've never felt so quickly judged and dismissed. I learned that some pairs can fetch over $50,000. The experience was eye-opening, revealing a world I knew nothing about.
Trying my luck against a chess hustler in New York City. I lost.
On our camping trip in New Hampshire, we set up our tent by a creek. My favorite moment was at night when Jenny spotted the space station and shouted, "Look!". As we all looked up, a shooting star streaked across the sky. I think it was my first time seeing one.
I had a lot of fun trying disc golf for the first time with my friend Ben. Walking through the woods from basket to basket while catching up on life made it more than just a game — it was a really nice outdoor experience!
With summer coming to a close, we've had a mix of warm and cool days. Today was warmer, so we biked to a nearby farm and enjoyed their homemade ice cream.
13 miles (21 km), 3,800 feet of elevation gain (1,200 meters), two 4,000-foot peaks, and 10 hours on the trail — Mount Whiteface and Passaconaway Loop in New Hampshire was a serious challenge. Our favorite part was the final stretch up Mount Whiteface, with a steep, rocky climb that starts at the exposed ledge in this photo. It's part of the notorious Terrifying 25 (T25), a collection of New Hampshire's most challenging and intimidating hiking trails. Two days later, I'm still sore, but I loved it!
A quiet fall morning in Boston's South End.
New York City's skyline, framed by my hotel room window.
Friends, nature, disc golf — and a touch of dramatic flair!
Disc golf in a nutshell: throw, swear, search, repeat.
Celebrated Thanksgiving on Grand Cayman.
We ordered Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre - one of Singapore's most famous local dishes. The hawker stalls here have spent decades mastering their recipes.
Singapore's skyline from the Gardens by the Bay sky bridge.