Dear Friends,

Welcome to the webbed feet version of Kibbles & Bytes. We have had non-stop rain here in the Green Mountains. I actually have not seen the ground so saturated in my time in Vermont. I walked up to the garden yesterday to see if there were any blueberries since the strawberry season was pretty much a washout. I had a few nice, ripe berries and the bushes are loaded up.

Of course, walking to the garden was like walking on a leaky waterbed (do they still make those?). Lake Champlain is at flood stage and record levels, and there are a lot of farmers and gardeners who are hoping for a dry spell so these plants can grow. However, one drawback of a dry spell (we’re actually poised to see one this weekend!) is that it will give the mosquitos and no-see-ums time to breed since the running water will turn into still ponds and puddles. It could be an epic July biting insect season.

I am thrilled to announce that we have two extraordinary Apple closeout deals available now. We purchased the remaining stock of the discontinued 2TB Dual Band Time Capsules from Apple. These are brand new and have a one-year Apple warranty. At $239, they are a great way to add a high quality internet router — i.e. AirPort Extreme — and an integrated 2TB hard drive for wireless backups in your home or office. These are in stock now — see below for some specials this week.

We have also bought some special Apple education versions of the discontinued MacBook Air. These 13-inch MacBook Airs feature 2GB of RAM and 64GB of solid state storage and are brand new. They also carry a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for AppleCare! (Did you know that if you purchase AppleCare and a Time Capsule it covers both your Mac and the Time Capsule for three years?) At just $699, this is the least expensive new Apple laptop you can buy anywhere.

To make this an even more compelling offer, our back-to-school promotion will also net you a $100 Small Dog gift card if you are a student or purchasing the Mac for a student. (And don’t forget our GE Financing promo — defer your payments if you qualify. See our Finance page for more details. I cannot remember having a more value-laden special. Quantities are limited on these items and the specials are only good while our supply lasts!