Chicken-Lima beans-vegetable soup (from Milly)

Ingredients:
small chicken or chicken parts
cut up large onion
2 tbs. ready to use minced garlic
10 cut up carrots
8 cut up celery stalks
bag of large Lima beans
2 tsp. salt
4 chicken bullion (optional)
1/2 cup of pearl barely (optional)

1. Put a small chicken into a large pot and cover with water by an inch.
2. Bring to a boil, skim off any foamy crud that may float to the surface then immediately reduce heat to bring it to a simmer.
3. Add one cut up onion, 8 chopped carrots, 10 celery stalks, bag of large Lima beans, 2 tbs. minced garlic (ready to use), about 1/2 cup of pearl barley, and about 2 tsp of salt (you can always add salt to the soup later). You can also use chicken bullion.
4. Cook for about 2 hrs. (beans should be soft) covered or partially uncovered.
5. Remove the bones, skin & discard them. Cut up rest of the chicken meat & return to the soup.