Also in note from cousin Monica, she mentions a "mind your own business" plant, covered in tiny orange beads. Anyone heard of that name or kind of plant before?

I know of the plant, tiny little creeping thing, very popular over here, but tried two books and can't find it. I have something similar in my greenhouse, but it doesn't have the orange berries. That reminds me, I have a Hoya carnosa in my bird shed, it gets covered in dust but flowers well every year....camera time again, but may be no good in bird shed. The flowers are bunches of small white stars and look and feel as if made from wax. It is unusual in that each year the flowers form on the stalk where the old ones were. May be almost hardy in Texas, does anyone else grow it?

Here is the Hoya.

And while I was down there, this little Gloster canary complete with the Beatle haircut was just begging to be photographed, he's four weeks old and just out of the nest.

The flowers look like succulent-type flowers. Is the hoya the same family as what we commonly called the Hawaiian lei plant?

Precious bird. Beatle haircut, eh? Guess you just "dated" yourself for us buddy. Must be about "our" age.

Not sure about the lei plant Carolyn, but the Hoya carnosa is a climber and originates from Australia.
You young ladies can't possibly be as old as me.

Is a bird shed like an aviary? Or have the birds just taken over a shed? Trying to picture it...in the meantime I'll drool over the Hoya carnosa. Think it's related to Hoya sonta? Sooo many questions, so little answers.

Terry, I know exactly which plant book that lei plant is in, just can't find the darn book. Its around here some where. In the meantime, I found this great site, which you may have already seen: http://www.lava.net/~egilding/index.htm Its all hoyas by some kid in Hawaii.

Oh and about that age thing, Terry. I have an original, first edition, "album" called "Beatles 65" that I received as a Xmas present the same year. Which was a really big deal at the time, because that album was never sold in this country.

Oh dear, I think the 'Rubber Soul' album was even older! and perhaps not avail over here either. Even worse, the group all lived together only once - after they made some $ after the Ed Sullivan debut. Their London flat was the penthouse of the building my first boyfriend's family's lived in. Hello Brad, wherever you are. But you are probably right about the age thing Terry, cause I am only 39.

Maggie, FYI "Rubber Soul" was available over here.

How would I know Carolyn? I wasn't here then ;-)
I used to over winter a hoya in a greenhouse about 80 years ago. 'fraid I outlived it. You should be really pleased with that wonderful bloom Terry. Mine was not often that obliging.

Hello Maggie posting together again, mine has about 20 bunches of those flowers at the moment, they will be constantly opening over the next three months or so. The poor thing is covered in dust from the birds feathers, but keeps on growing and flowering. Seems to enjoy being in a small pot for the size of plant.
Good site that Carolyn and I stand corrected on the origin of H. carnosa it is as the site owner states a native of India and China, not Australia as I stated.
Gail we tend to refer to an aviary as a wired outside enclosure for the housing of birds. I believe in the States birdrooms are also refered to as aviaries. It would appear from the dictionary that the American way is correct "large cage or building for keeping birds".
That's twice I've been proved wrong in one day and here's me thinking I'm infallub infalib infala...never wrong. :-)