It's unseasonably warm here today (low 80s), but I wanted to make soup with our Easter hambone that was taking up space in the fridge. I peeled off the remaining slices and put the bone (with plenty of meat left on it) in a large pot with carrot, celery, onion, garlic, the woody stems of asparagus that we're having tonight, fresh thyme sprigs, whole black peppercorns, and kosher salt. I added 10 cups of water, brought the stock to a boil, and let it simmer for two hours. When it cools, I'll strain the stock and remove the meat from the bone. The stock will sit in the refrigerator overnight so I can skim the fat off before making the soup. It's going to be hot again tomorrow, so I might wait until the weekend to make navy bean soup. We've had temps in the upper 70s, low 80s for several days, but it will be chilly this weekend with possible wintry mix. This will probably be the last time I make soup this season.