###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###
###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###
###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###
###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###
¤=»¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨»=¤
#&=»»»~¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨~»»»=&#
¤=»¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             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.          ¨~»†=&¤###
##¤=»¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨»=¤##
##&&†~~¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨~~†&&##
#¤&†~¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨~†&¤#
####&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&####
###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###
###¤&=†»~¨                                          ¨~»†=&¤###