Cowboy Flat Stanley
             Contributed by Andrea of Duluth, MN

Andrea emails: Chris, your latest posting of cowboys in their long red underwear reminded me of a Flannel Board project my son, Jeremy, did a couple of years ago in Kindergarten. It featured a Flat Stanley (look alike) wearing a red union suit that the kids helped the teacher dress while reciting a poem that began with:

A Cowboy Dresses Himself with Care. 
He starts with Long, Red ______ (Underwear) *

Flat Stanley Gets Dressed Beginning
With a Red Flannel Union Suit

The kids fill in the missing words that rhyme. When Jeremy got home that day, he said, "Guess what? Flat Stanley wears underwear like daddy!" True, my husband, like you, is a fan of Union Suits (especially red ones).

Another flannel board I found features a little boy and girl dressed in red "flannel" union suits with western clothes to add:

The whole family enjoys your blogs. Thanks for the laughs! .... Andrea

Great Andrea, thanks for sharing Flanneled Flat Stanley. Below is another cowboy in his Union Suit sent to me by Paul of Montpelier, VT. 

Thanks too to Paul, Union Suit Fan! I appreciate both of your contributions... Chris

From the Book: 

* Here's the Entire Poem From Library Village:  

A Cowboy Dresses Himself with Care

A Cowboy Dresses Himself with Care.

He starts with long, red ______(UNDERWEAR).

Out in the desert, you don't want to get hurt, 

So the cowboy wears a strong wool ______(SHIRT).

Deserts and prairies are the cowboy's scenes;

To protect his legs, he wears sturdy blue______(JEANS).

The cowboy bent, and ran, and knelt.

To keep his pants up, he wore a leather ______(BELT).

The coyote howls, the old owl hoots.

On his feet, he wears leather ______(BOOTS).

It isn't yellow, so it's not a banana;

Around his neck, he wears a soft ______(BANDANA).

A cowboy is a cowboy, and that is that!

On top of his head, he wore a ten-gallon ______(HAT).

He's all dressed from head to feet,

And now our cowboy can't be beat!