%:~.......                                          .......~:%
:~........                                          ........~:
%:~.......                                          .......~:%
@%:~......                                          ......~:%@
¤@%:~.....                                          .....~:%@¤
#¤@%:~....             ................             ....~:%@¤#
##¤@%:~...             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.          ....~:%@¤#
¤@%:~.....                                          .....~:%@¤
@%:~......                                          ......~:%@
%:~.......                                          .......~:%
:~........                                          ........~:
%:~.......                                          .......~:%
@%:~......                                          ......~:%@