@¶¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶¶@
#@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@#
§§»..¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨..»§§
¶§§%§»»».¨                                          ¨.»»»§%§§¶
#@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@#
##¶§%§/».¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨.»/§%§¶##
#@¶§%§/».¨             the alvar fields             ¨.»/§%§¶@#
§§§%///».¨             %%%#@#@#@#@#@%%%             ¨.»///%§§§
@@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@@
¶§§§»»»».¨ from   north   to   south,  thirty   odd ¨.»»»»§§§¶
@¶%§§//».¨ kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ¨.»//§§%¶@
#@¶§%§/».¨ thousand meters.  from topsoil to stone, ¨.»/§%§¶@#
¶%§§/»»».¨ a  foot or two.  no roots can fester, no ¨.»»»/§§%¶
#@¶§%§/».¨             dust can linger.             ¨.»/§%§¶@#
#@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@#
@¶§%%§/».¨ here  is  earth,  clay,  and sturdy  low ¨.»/§%%§¶@
#@¶§%§/».¨ plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ¨.»/§%§¶@#
##@§%§/».¨ earth  is bare  in patches as  large  as ¨.»/§%§@##
#@¶§%§/».¨                you and me.               ¨.»/§%§¶@#
##¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶##
@¶§§».¨¨¨¨ cross it to get to the  ocean, or  don't ¨¨¨¨.»§§¶@
@@¶§%§/».¨          to stay where you are.          ¨.»/§%§¶@@
¶¶¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶¶¶
##¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶##
@@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@@
@§%§§§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§§§%§@
#@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@#
#@¶§%§/».¨                                          ¨.»/§%§¶@#