So far this winter, the magic of frozen white was nowhere to be found. So, I tried to photograph it, anyway.

With dense fog predicted for the morning of Dec. 24, I visited Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois. The fog wasn’t as dense as I had hoped, but nature always has a way of surprising me.

Mired in the mist amidst the lush gold, bronze, and auburn tones of the saturated savanna, I caught sight of a indistinct patch of red. I became confused at such vibrance at this time of year, for displays of crimson blooms are rare even in the growing season. Lured by the mystery, I found myself overlooking a low, damp stretch of savanna, home to phalanxes of long-legged winterberry shrubs topped with red berries, our native holly.