What to do, what to do. Oh, I remember seeing a baking idea on the Internet—using cake mix to make brownies. Yep, I found it on the web and mixed it up quickly…1 boxed cake mix, 1/4 c. water, 1/8 c. oil, 1 egg…and into the small baking pan for 22 minutes.
While it was cooking...I’m thinking of brownies, wonderfully sweet, gooey squares of chocolate…and other things named “Brownie”…
I was a Girl Scout Brownie when I was in first grade…don’t believe I have any pictures of that time in my life. (I was the second child and pictures were not as easily made and developed back in those days). (note to self: ask Mother if she has any brownie pictures)Speaking of pictures and “brownie” things…Now I’m remembering a small, black camera called a “Brownie”. It required little, individual, pale, bluish bulbs with wiry, oblong tips which had to be put into the camera to make a flash picture…there was no such thing as a "built in" flash.
Speaking of flashes...Daddy had an 8mm movie camera (the film had to be taken to the store to be processed) and it didn't have a flash at all...there was a separate flash bar someone had to hold while the other person shot the movie. The handle was on the bottom and across the top of the bar were four large light bulbs--that monstrous thing could have been used to light up and or heat up the entire neighborhood...those bulbs were extremely hot.
We often complained about being blinded each time the switch was flipped on...this was also our que to "do something" from my Daddy.
In the 60's we didn't have the "video finesse" this generation has at the sight of a camera. We would just wave walking slowly back and forth as we sheepishly smiled--while trying not to run into anything in the way, because after a few steps, you're eyes were so blinded by the light you couldn't see where you were going! I remember using bulbs in our small "Brownie" ...having to pull them out of the camera for the next shot (they were hot and always put a pungent, smoky smell into the room!) You’d end up with a pocketful of used bulbs if you were taking several pictures.
Back to my being a brownie…I remember going to one of my first troop meetings at the “Church of Christ” and making “sitting mats”. Our leader taught us to weave folded strips of newspapers together and cover them with oil cloth—once done, we stitched the hole-punched sides together with cording. The mats gave us padded seating on the ground without getting our lovely brown uniforms wet or dirty because they were waterproof and could easily be wiped clean.
I wonder whatever happened to my mat? …to my uniform…to my beanie hat?
Or, what happened to my brownies…my real brownies…the ones I put in the over...they’re done--I’ve got to get them out of the oven!
Leave me a funny or special memory you have about brownies, girl scouts, brownie cameras, or anything named Brownie!
