I discovered this humorous Grant Wood painting titled Daughters of Revolution recently while visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum. It never fails to put a smile on my face.
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| Grant Wood, Daughters of Revolution |
Wood (most known for his iconic American Gothic) stirred up considerable controversy with his satirical portrayal of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a group which he called “those Tory gals.” Wood’s disagreement with the DAR was the result of a controversy over a World War I memorial window that the artist had been commissioned to do in the late 1920’s for his hometown, Cedar Rapids.
These rather dower ladies pictured here might benefit from a few cups of tea throughout the day. The reason is an amazing amino acid called L-theanine. Discovered in 1949 in Japan, it is rarely seen in nature except in tea where it is so abundant.
It is a neurophysiologically active (mood enhancing by stimulating alpha brain waves) compound that subtly balances and moderates the affect of caffeine. Caffeine and L-theanine together make tea unique as it both stimulates and enhances mood – just what these ladies could use!
I’ll be the guest lecturer at a local DAR event next month. I might be wise to share several cups of tea with the audience before I speak because a bit of L-theanine should help put a smile on their faces!