La Catrina is a universal character associated with Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), in Mexico and around the world.
La Calavera Catrina (“The Dapper [female] Skull”) first appeared around 1910-1912 as a zinc etching created by the Mexican printmaker and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada. It was published in 1913, in a satirical broadside.
Between 1946 and 1947, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera transformed Posada’s creation into a life-sized figure for his fresco, “A Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park.” While Posada originally intended his print as a satire of upper-class women, Rivera used ethnic artistic references to reimagine her as a symbol of Mexican national identity.
The La Catrina image first appeared in a book in 1930. In 1944, the Catrina image appeared on the cover of an exhibition catalogue for the Art Institute of Chicago. Art Institute catalogues with Catrina on the cover, and individual prints of Catrina were widely distributed in Mexico and the U.S.
Catrina features widely in Day of the Dead products and inspires artists annually to recreate her from various materials. Contests for Catrinas have emerged in Mexico and the U.S., along with impersonators, themed fashion shows, and charity events.
Catrinas are currently fashioned out of two- and three-dimensional materials. These include drawings, prints, paintings, and paper-mâché sculptures, Oaxacan wood carvings, polychromed clay figures, and barro negro black clay pottery. Catrina is often paired with a male dandy skeleton, known as a Catrín.
“Catrin” and “Catrina” have become popular costumes during Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and elsewhere. They typically feature calavera (skull) make-up. The male counterpart to the Catrina wears the same skull makeup and black clothes, often a formal suit with a top hat or a mariachi costume. A cane might also be part of the costume. Catrinas can be dressed in black, white, or bright colors. [1]
La Catrinas on the Puerto Vallarta Boardwalk
During a recent visit to the Vidanta resort in Puerto Vallarta, we encountered many La Catrinas. Here are the ones we saw on the Puerto Vallarta boardwalk.
The Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is a holiday celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember amusing events and anecdotes about the departed.It is widely observed in Mexico, where it has largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. The Day of the Dead has become a way to remember those forebears of Mexican culture.
Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased.The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends, such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de Muerto with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras literarias.[1]
We had the opportunity to experience Día de Muertos during a vacation at the Vidanta Resort in Puerto Vallarta. Before we left Dallas, I read the book, Mexico’s Day of the Dead by LuiSa Navarro. It is an excellent explanation of the festival with numerous pictures.
The orange marigolds are used because the color orange is believed to attract the dead. We enjoyed the pan de Muerto, which is a delicious, sweet bread (pan).
The following images are pictures I took of the altars during Día de Muertos.
The siege of Pueblo de Taos was the final battle during the main phase of the Taos Revolt, an insurrection against the United States during the Mexican–American War. It was also the final major engagement between American forces and insurgent forces in New Mexico during the war.
Background
Steven Watts Kearny (New Mexico History Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico
In August 1846, New Mexico fell to American troops under Stephen Watts Kearny. When Kearny left for California, Colonel Sterling Price was left in command of the American forces in New Mexico. In January 1847, Price learned of a Mexican revolt in the territory and defeated the rebels at the Battle of Cañada and the Battle of Embudo Pass as his forces moved toward Pueblo de Taos, the center of insurgency activity. Another American force fought the New Mexicans at Mora, on the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Sterling Price (Library of Congress)
On February 1st, his force of 478 men reached the summit of Taos Mountain, covered in two feet of snow, and on February 2nd, they reached Rio Chiquito, the entrance to Taos Valley. On February 3rd, Price marched through Don Fernando de Taos and found the rebels had strongly fortified Pueblo de Taos.
Siege
Price ordered Lieutenant Dyer to set up an artillery battery, consisting of a 6-pounder and the howitzers, 250 yards from the western flank of the church, and began firing at 2:00 PM and continued for two and a half hours before retiring to Don Fernando for the evening. Early on February 4th, he placed Captain Burgwin’s First Dragoon Regiment and Major Clarke’s light artillery in the same position he had the battery the evening before. Captain St. Vrain’s and Captain Slack’s mounted men were placed to prevent escape towards the mountains or Don Fernando. The remaining men were placed 300 yards from the northern wall along with Lieutenant Dyer’s artillery battery. This placed the front and eastern flank of the church in a crossfire.
Death of Captain Burgwin (Wikipedia)
The batteries started firing at 9:00 AM but failed to breach the church walls by 11:00 AM. Price ordered a storming of the church. Captain Burgwin and Captain McMillin charged the western flank of the church, while CaptainAgney, Lieutenant Boon, and Captain Barber charged the northern wall. The roof of the church was set on fire, but Captain Burgwin was mortally wounded while moving through the corral at the front of the church. A hole was cut in the western wall, which permitted shells to be thrown in by hand, while the 6-pounder was placed so it could fire grapeshot into the town.By 3:00 PM, the 6-pounder was placed sixty yards from the church and widened the hole after ten rounds, after which it was placed ten yards away and fired three rounds of grapeshot into the church. This allowed Lieutenant Dyer, Lieutenant Wilson, and Taylor to take possession of the church, followed by the rebels abandoning the western part of the town.
Captain Slack and Captain St. Vrain pursued those trying to escape into the mountains, killing many before night fell.The rebels surrendered the next day, giving up one of the insurrection leaders, Tomas Romero, a Pueblo Indian.
Aftermath
Two of the accused rebellion leaders, Pablo Montoya and Tomás Romero, were captured in the fighting. Private Fitzgerald shot Romero in the guard room at Don Fernando before being brought to trial. Montoya was convicted of treason and hanged at Don Fernando on February 7th. Later trials resulted in 14 additional public hangings.
Later skirmishes occurred at the Red River Canyon Affair, the Las Vegas Affair, and the Taos Affair.”[1]
The ruins of the church stand as a memorial to those who were killed (Author’s Photograph)
[1] “Siege of Pueblo Taos,” Wikipedia, Siege of Pueblo de Taos – Wikipedia, retrieved September 24, 2025.
I thought I might underwhelm your senses with some of my recent projects. In early 2023, I started drawing using pencils and watercolors. In 2025, I took an oil painting class. As an art student, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some of my efforts with my readers.
I have divided my work into the following categories:
Pencil Art
Watercolor Paintings
Oil Paintings
Please visit my Art Gallery to see my very humble efforts.
Anti-Semitism in Plano Independent School District
Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Plano Independent School District (“PISD”) for permitting and facilitating antisemitic behavior.
Reports have indicated that students in PISD have been subjected to biased materials that advance a pro-Palestinian worldview and that school officials have provided “excused” absences to students participating in pro-Palestinian walkouts—effectively making it a school-sponsored anti-Israel activity.
“The reports regarding antisemitic activity in Plano ISD schools are alarming and must be swiftly and aggressively addressed,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Any teacher or administrator that has facilitated or supported radical anti-Israel rhetoric in our schools should be fired immediately. I stand in solidarity with our Jewish community, and we will continue to do everything in our power to root out antisemitism in all its forms.”
As part of the investigation, Attorney General Paxton sent a letter to PISD Superintendent Theresa Williams demanding a wide range of documents, including the school’s policies on walkouts, any documentation regarding anti-Israel curriculum, and disciplinary actions against teachers and staff for antisemitic action.
The letter states: “As we approach the second anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, it is crucial that PISD take all necessary steps to combat antisemitism and appropriately discipline teachers, staff, and students that act in contravention to state law and PISD policy.”[1]
This is a shocking and disappointing accusation by the Texas Attorney General. My wife taught in Plano for around thirty years, and our daughter attended Plano schools and graduated from Plano Senior High School. The issue has brought national attention and shame to a highly regarded school district. The antisemitic behavior by students, faculty, and staff dishonors the hard-working teachers and students who helped build the district’s reputation.
A classroom has no room for hatred. Discussion of issues is important, but when students and teachers resort to discriminatory behavior, the discussion has gone over the line. The teachers should know better. This religious bullying, like all similar behavior, should not be tolerated in our society, and especially not in our schools. By allowing students to verbally and physically attack Jewish students, PISD faculty, staff, and elected school board members fail in their primary duty — to educate. Permitting this type of behavior certifies that it is acceptable in the district. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to intimidate others.
I am in no way condoning the genocide that the Israeli government is conducting on residents of the Gaza Strip. It is especially disturbing that an ethnic group that has been devastated by three genocides should believe that it is okay to do the same to another group of people. However, the situation is very complex and way over my pay grade to offer solutions. However, I fault the world community for standing by and allowing it to happen.
Discrimination Against Latino Families
I cannot end my condemnation of the PISD School Board without pointing out what I consider to be another case of discrimination. The board decided to close Forman Elementary School. They cited declining attendance and budgetary constraints as the reasons. Nonsense, the district has enough funds to build facilities near Plano Senior High School.
The real reason may be that the school did not perform as high as the board would like, and thus lowered the district’s rating. The victims, students and parents, will be sent to other schools. The real issue here is that the action discriminates against the Latino community. Forman was not just a school; it was a rallying place for the community; it was a home away from home. I attended one of the many farewell celebrations. The festivities were conducted in Spanish and English. The event was catered by the Forman family, complete with food and gifts. I view the closing of this school to be an act of discrimination against Latinos.
I hope Plano citizens will not tolerate this behavior and elect a new school board committed to the right “ation” — education, not discrimination.
Science has greatly influenced humanity. This influence has led some to believe that science holds all the answers. This belief conflicts with religion, which holds that the secrets of the Universe are closely kept by God.
In my opinion, science and religious faith work together to answer all of humanity’s questions.
Why this discussion of science? As I illustrated in the last post, climate change is from carbon dioxide and water vapor. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are produced when fossil fuels are burned.
To reject global warming means to reject science or, more specifically, chemistry. Today, politics has become involved in the denial of climate change. Conservative politicians have advocated this denial to gain votes from various religious groups and campaign funding from oil and gas lobbies. Government funding of alternative fuel research has been cut by the current United States government.
My suggestion is for those who do not believe in science to reject all of the conveniences provided by science and its handmaiden technology. I think that we should have technology gathering sites in all of the major cities for science deniers to drop off their possessions that originate in science.
I have prepared the following list of items to be sent to collection sites:
Personal computers
Cell phones
Radios
Televisions
Microwave ovens
Automobiles and trucks
Refrigerators and refrigerated food
Medicines
Artificial arms and legs
Washers and Dryers
The Internet (Of course, without computers, this has to go
Dishwashers
Telephones
Trains and Buses
Running water and plumbing (Please detach your toilets, sinks, showers, and baths.
I could go on, but you get the point.
That is not to say that technology is all good. Evil people have used technology for terrible reasons, like killing people. Technology is a double-edged sword. Guns are used to hunt for food and to kill people. The Internet provides access to information and pornography. The power of artificial intelligence helps us organize and improve our writing, but we are just discovering its power as a propaganda tool and criminal device.
Failure to accept the science of climate change leads to monstrous consequences. I will present some of these consequences in the next post.
Long before the recent events, I understood the science behind global climate change. We are creating a manmade disaster by continuing to burn fossil fuels. Call it the dinosaurs’ revenge, even though fossil fuels trace their origin to tiny organisms.
Carbon is the common element in fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, they produce carbon dioxide gas and water. Both carbon dioxide and water are greenhouse gases.
So put on your science hats for a little basic chemistry.
The carbon atoms [C] combine with oxygen [O2] to produce carbon dioxide [CO2].
The numbers in front of the molecules of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water are used to make sure there are an equal number of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms on both sides of the chemical reaction. Another way of looking at the chemistry is to note that burning a single molecule of ethanol (gasoline) produces three times the amount of carbon dioxide as burning coal.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that creates a blanket in the atmosphere to hold in heat.
According to Wikipedia, greenhouse gases are the gases in the atmosphere that trap heat, raising the surface temperature of Earth. Unlike other gases, greenhouse gases absorb the radiation that the Earth emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect. The Earth is warmed by sunlight, causing its surface to radiate heat, which is then mostly absorbed by greenhouse gases. Without greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the average temperature of Earth’s surface would be about 0°F rather than the present average of 59°F.
The five most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, listed in decreasing order of presence, are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Water vapor causes about half of the greenhouse effect. [1]
Burning natural gas to heat your home and using gasoline to fuel your car or truck will produce water vapor as shown in the above equations. Gasoline combustion produces twice as much water as does burning natural gas.
Allen Mesch 