Aileen's arrived for the weekend and she deserves a little attention after everything that's happened.

She's sitting next to me, reading BBC Wildlife magazine and has an answer to the pressing question -- why do catfish wink?

According to scientists, drawing the iris down helps the catfish to hide. The iris has a camoflagued surface and by winking the stark black outline is replaced with colouration that matches the catfish's body and the riverbed on which it lives. So now you know. Also, did you know that 100,000 hedgehogs are killed every year on the roads of Britain. The majority of roadkills in the mating season are of males seeking females. Male hedgehogs are known to become more reckless when seeking a mate, which will come as no surprise to female readers.

Here's something I've been meaning to post for a couple of days. It's Jim's tribute to Kaveh, written for an Iranian magazine. It made me laugh and cry -- it's just a wonderful, wonderful portrait of the man.

Jim Muir -- My Kaveh Golestan

Discuss Northern Iraq -- and Beyond