as far as the eye can see

Afanasy pensively unwrapped his right foot. As he afternoon sun passed cheerfully through the clouds, he made a mass of scraps of fabric, twine, gum and fur that had kept his beloved foot warm for the past three months. Sure enough, he had lichen again. Monak began to bark convulsively, and vultures began to whistle approvingly to each other and convocate overhead. Afanasy leaned back onto his elbows, grinned and waited for the lichen to unfold into the Russian spring.