,,,,,,.~†§                                          §†~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~†§%                                          %§†~.,,,,,
,,,,.~†§%¤                                          ¤%§†~.,,,,
,,,.~†§%¤@                                          @¤%§†~.,,,
,,.~†§%¤@#                                          #@¤%§†~.,,
,.~†§%¤@##             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ##@¤%§†~.,
,,.~†§%¤@#             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.          %§†~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~†§                                          §†~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~†                                          †~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~†§                                          §†~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~†§%                                          %§†~.,,,,,
,,,,.~†§%¤                                          ¤%§†~.,,,,
,,,.~†§%¤@                                          @¤%§†~.,,,