Question
Hi - I just looked at three small thuja trees in my garden and noticed what at
first seemed to be clumps of orange leaf-material stuck to them, but when I got
close, they are clumps of gooey, amber-colored things, individually shaped like
tiny mandarin orange sections, grouped together in "flowers". The consistency
of jello. Is this a normal product or a disease/pest - if so, what do I do? Thanks!

Answer
What you describe is a rust fungus disease called cedar-quince rust.  The disease will not harm the plant and will eventually dry up and appear to go away on its on.  There is really no recommended control since it is not harmful to the plant.  Do a google search for cedar-quince or cedar-apple rust and you will see pictures of your disease.  Thanks.