Dries Buytaert

Miscellaneous 2024

People in Scottish kilts gathered around a table with food and candles.
Enjoyed my first Burns Night with friends dressed in kilts, haggis, authentic bagpipe music, toasts, and thoughtful poetry.
A camera monitor show a behind-the-scenes view of a woman being set up with a microphone.
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.
Three people sitting at a dinner table lit by candles, enjoying a glass of wine.
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.
A ski resort at dusk with ski lifts, a small wooden cabin, and a sky with shades of purple and blue.
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.
A traditional French raclette grill with melting cheese, scraped onto a plate.
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!
Geese swimming in a pond with the iconic Boston Public Garden bridge as a backdrop.
The geese are back in Boston. Warm and sunny days are coming!
A person mincing garlic at a kitchen island as the sun sets.
Axl preparing dinner in the evening light.
A couple dances beneath a grand chandelier, surrounded by family and friends.
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 a laundry room floor.
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 ...
A solar panel on a rooftop during sunset with a city skyline in the background.
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.
Big Green Egg grill smoking on a patio.
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!
Two young men sitting at a kitchen island, one with a dessert that has a lit candle.
Stan smiling as we sing "Happy Birthday" to him.
A speaker on stage addressing the audience.
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.
A young man siting at a desk, surrounded by study materials.
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.
A young man sitting at a desk, writing on a small whiteboard, surrounded by study materials.
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.
A young man sitting at a desk, head bent over study materials, focused on writing.
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.
A young man sitting at a desk, focused on studying.
The exam period means they are spending hours each day glued to their desks and buried in their books.
A young girl in a pink dress and denim jacket holding colorful balloons.
Just before she left, we gave the birthday girl a bunch of balloons. Her smile said it all!
A red lighthouse and red-roofed houses viewed from a distance across grassy dunes.
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.
Interior of a small camper van with a Moka pot brewing coffee, a half-empty bottle of red wine, toothbrushes in a glass, eggs in a carton, and a portable speaker.
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.
An illuminated taxi sign on the roof of a car.
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.
People dining outdoors with a view of the illuminated harbor and ships.
I enjoyed a beautiful evening at a waterfront restaurant in Burgas, Bulgaria.
Fireworks explode over the ocean, ignited by a person standing on a jetty that extends into the water.
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.
A young man stands in front of sneakers in a glass case.
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.
wo men playing chess at an outdoor market in New York City
Trying my luck against a chess hustler in New York City. I lost.
A woman standing in the shallow water of a creek.
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.
A man throws a disc toward a disc golf basket near a tree marked with hole 8.
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!
A family biking together.
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.