31 Comments
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Pamela Clapp's avatar

So true… once le 15 août has passed, even if you’re still on vacation, there’s already that flavor of la rentrée in the air. Always a little bittersweet.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Yes!! We just came back home recently and I think there’s still one more week before it starts to feel like it’s over but I’m already ready to get things moving ❣️And I agree—always bittersweet 💕

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Cheese Soufflé's avatar

Thank you for sharing so much beauty and heartfelt nuggets of your reality. Sending love back for all you share!

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Karen Bussen's avatar

This is such a lovely comment and it makes me feel so happy. Merci dear Cheese Soufflé 😘😘

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Cheese Soufflé's avatar

I truly enjoy all of your posts so much! Merci!! 💝

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Hello Travels's avatar

Always enjoy hearing your stories about living in France. Thank you for sharing them with us.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Thank you so much Brandie. You made my whole week. Hope you're having a lovely summer 💐

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Michelle Richmond's avatar

I love your flower crown. We arrived in Paris in August of 2018 to move into an apartment we’d never laid eyes on. It was 107 degrees Farenheit, & we were dressed for a San Francisco summer (jeans, sweaters). The key to our apartment didn’t work. I just remember trudging around the 8th with our school-aged son in the blistering heat after a red-eye from California, searching for a restaurant without a handwritten “ferme” sign on the door, searching for water, wondering what the hell we’d gotten ourselves into. If I had it to do again, I’d move to Paris in late September, after the rentree, or better yet October. Summer in Europe is brutal. Fall is a joy.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Aggghh I can truly feel each and every painful detail from your story ❣️ I hope things got much better from there! Are you still in Paris? And I agree, fall is so lovely here.

Also re the flower crown, merci ! It was my first attempt (thanks YouTube) and making the flowers with the stretchy crêpe paper was very satisfying and calming 😂

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Quinn O'Riley's avatar

Beautiful photos! I am also ready for cooler weather!

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Karen Bussen's avatar

I tried on my first « Fall » outfits today even though I live in Paris w no a/c 😂

So very happy you’re here and thank you for taking a moment to write to me 😘

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Jane Bertch's avatar

Love this Karen - so thoughtful! It's so fun to read about summer in the countryside - so much the same, and yet so different than Paris. I love that! Also love that you visited Chicago (my hometown!) - now I have another restaurant to add to my list!

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Merci Jane ! That means a lot coming from you 💕 Chicago was fantastic and delicious. And yes I love the contrast from city to countryside in France. I always thought myself a "city person" but now I do actual gardening (or try anyway), the butcher and the fromager know me, and we have the neighbors over for apéro in the back yard. We were actually married by the mayor of our little village! We're lucky and very grateful to have a sweet escape from la grande ville 🏡

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Erica Cantley's avatar

Love this so much! I miss you my friend and your La Flaneuse reports keeps you close! 😘

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Tu me manques bcp ma biche 😘😘

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Jax's avatar

You can paint, too!!

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Awww that’s sweet! I’m just an enthusiastic beginner 👩‍🎨😂

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Rod Blake's avatar

We also love La petit bal perdu…great secret find…

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Trop mignon ❣️😊

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Theresa Conroy's avatar

Bring on Sweater Weather. You looked so cool on that stage. What a thrill. Congratulations. I’m visiting the US now, at the Jersey shore. I, too, want looking forward to it but have had such a great time connecting with dear friends.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Awww thanks Theresa—it really was and glad I survived hahaha. Wishing you a wonderful trip 😘😘

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Julie Waugh's avatar

It’s so good to hear from you again. Your stories are always so interesting! I will unfortunately probably never make it to France but I always feel so close when I read your stories

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Karen Bussen's avatar

We’ll share our sweet little French moments here together. I am so glad you wrote me this note—merci 😘😘

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Debbie's avatar

Hi, Karen

The share link works for me now. Strange.

Fall is my favorite season. I love everything that accompanies it which for me includes pumpkin muffins, squash soup, homemade apple sauce. We can pick apples from an orchard and run home with our treasures to make apple pie. I prefer the French version of apple pie with the one crust. The colors of the leaves as they change are stunning.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

All sounds delish !!

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Sacha Cohen's avatar

I feel the same about summer and cannot wait for fall! Glad you had fun at the lake house & in Chicago, one of my favorite cities 😊

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Bring on the dried leaves and light jackets 😂 This was my first time really seeing Chicago and it was amazing 💕

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Wilfred's avatar

We are in Paris in early September. It’s been too long. Looking forward to dinner at Les Antiquaires and just hanging out.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

I love Les Antiquaires — and September—in Paris !!

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The Mister B's avatar

You’re truly French now! You even stopped posting during your summer vacation.

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Karen Bussen's avatar

Or during my existential crisis. Thanks for your comment 👍🏻

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