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##¶¤§=*~,¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨,~*=§¤¶##
#@¶¤§=*~,¨ the alvar fields ¨,~*=§¤¶@#
¶¶¤§==*~,¨ §§§#@#@#@#@#@§§§ ¨,~*==§¤¶¶
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##@¶¤=*~,¨ 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. ¨,~*=§¤¶@#
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