LATILLAS
BACK WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP IN SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO,
WE CALLED THESE STICKS. WE GATHERED THEM EAGERLY SO WE
COULD BUILD FORTS. BIG FORTS. THE BIGGER THE FORT YOU OCCUPIED, THE MORE YOUR FRIENDS WOULD ENVY YOU.
JUST LIKE TODAY, ONLY NOW WE CALL THEM LATILLAS, AND HOMES.
TRADITIONALLY, MADE OF SAPPLINGS,THEY SPANNED THE VIGAS
IN AN ADOBE HOME AND WOULD SUPPORT THE DIRT ROOF ABOVE.
OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE WAS THE STRENGTH, SO MORE OFTEN THAN
NOT THEY WERE LAID ACROSS THE VIGAS STRAIGHT, AND NOT IN THE HERRINGBONE DESIGN THAT HAS BECOME SO POPULAR TODAY.
IN FACT, MANY TIMES THEY WERE COVERED WITH MUD PLASTER SO
THE OCCUPANTS COULD NOT SEE THE " TWIGS " ABOVE THEM.
NOW, LATILLAS HAVE BECOME AN UPGRADE IN HOME CONSTRUCTION
DUE TO THE COST; UP TO TEN DOLLARS EACH, PLUS THE LABOR.
IN THIS HOME I HAVE DECIDED TO NAIL THEM DOWN STRAIGHT,
IN FAVOR OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL LOOK.
BUT I WONT GO FOR THE DIRT ROOF. BUT IT'S TEMPTING,
BESIDES, HAVE YOU CHECKED THE PRICE OF DIRT LATELY ?
