..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
......=*## ##*=......
..====**## ##**====..
....=*¤¤¤# ................ #¤¤¤*=....
..=:*¤#### 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. #¤**====..
....=**¤## ##¤**=....
......=:¤# #¤:=......
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..
..=:*¤#### ####¤*:=..