さて、この連休、みなさんいかがお過ごしだったでしょうか？
　温暖地域からはウメ開花のお便り。まことに麗しい限りと羨望の思いですが、雪国人はただただ肉体酷使の除雪三昧ホリデーであります。南のウメと北のクルマ雪ウメ（泣笑）。
　ここ２−３日ブログでご報告の通り、大雪からの融雪、グシャグシャ路面から市内各所でのクルマの雪埋め危険性MAX状況であります。写真は今朝５時ころのわが家前道路の状況。わが家は中学校の校庭、図書館などの文教地区にあるのですが、とくに図書館などに来訪されるみなさんのクルマが転回する角地の立地。雪国の道路角地というのは、除雪作業などで両方向からの「押しつけ」圧力から堆雪しやすい。そこに多量のクルマ通行があれば、雪が積層固化しやすい。
　そういう環境下で一気に「グシャグシャ」化すると、クルマの「雪埋め〜スタック」が発生しやすいのですね。クルマ通行では角地で減速した後、アクセルを踏み込むので回転数が高まる。結果、積層固化した路面がどんどん摩擦を受けてグシャグシャの進展が加速化するのでしょう。
　市の公共除雪もほとんどマヒ状態の中、連日、周辺住民の助け合い除雪でしのいできている状況。そうやって安全路確保させてきての今朝の様子であります。見方はいろいろでしょうが、それなりにクルマ交通の安全は確保されていたようなタイヤ痕と雪道の状況でした。
　その除雪作業だけで疲れきったので、昨日は外に出たのはそれだけで、歩数表示はピッタリ5,000。表示を見ると４回ほどのピークがありますが、それが除雪出動の痕跡。
　先日来、雪かき労務の歩数換算の試算を2-3倍程度と書いてきましたが、それに準拠すれば10,000〜15,000歩程度。しかしさすがに「重たい雪」なので腰に来る。
　本日から連休明けで、通常のクルマ交通が開始されますが、さてこの路面状況がどのように推移して行くか。わたしもクルマでの外出が予定されているので、ハラハラドキドキ。しかし一方で春の季語として、温暖地の梅の開花に対比させて「雪埋め」を、北国らしい日本の新・季語として、広く日本語文化圏に提案したくもなります。多少ヤケ気味ではありますが（笑）・・・。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

【Plum Blossoms and Snow… Nonstop Snow Clearing to Prevent “Stacks” at Our Corner Lot】
A holiday break spent utterly exhausted from shoveling heavy, slushy snow. Even as the plum blossoms bloom, beware of snow “burials.” A new seasonal word proposal for Japanese culture this spring. …

　So, how did everyone spend this holiday weekend?
News of plum blossoms blooming in warmer regions. Truly beautiful and enviable, but for us snow country folks, it’s just a holiday of relentless, physically grueling snow removal. Southern plums versus northern cars buried in snow (cry/laugh).
　As reported on my blog these past few days, the melting snow after heavy snowfall has created a MAX danger situation for cars getting buried in slushy roads all over town. The photo shows the road in front of my house around 5 AM this morning. My house is in an educational district near a junior high school playground and a library, but it’s especially located on a corner where cars visiting places like the library turn around. Road corners in snow country are prone to snow piling up due to the “pushing” pressure from snow removal efforts in both directions. Add heavy vehicle traffic, and the snow easily layers and hardens.
Under these conditions, when it suddenly turns to “slush,” cars easily get “snowed in and stuck.” Vehicles slow down at corners before accelerating hard, increasing RPMs. Consequently, the layered, compacted surface experiences increasing friction, accelerating the progression of the slushy mess.
With municipal snow removal nearly paralyzed, we’ve been managing day after day through mutual aid snow clearing among nearby residents. This morning’s scene is the result of those efforts to secure safe roads. Opinions may vary, but the tire tracks and snowy road conditions suggested vehicle traffic safety was reasonably ensured.
　Exhausted just from that snow removal, yesterday I only went outside for that task, resulting in exactly 5,000 steps. Looking at the display, there are about four peaks, which are traces of snow removal outings.
Recently, I’ve been estimating the step count equivalent for snow shoveling labor at about 2-3 times the normal rate. Based on that, it would be around 10,000 to 15,000 steps. But this “heavy snow” really takes a toll on the back.
　Today marks the end of the holiday break, and normal car traffic resumes. Now, how will these road conditions evolve? I have car trips planned myself, so I’m feeling a bit nervous. On the other hand, as a spring seasonal word, I’m tempted to propose “snow burial” (雪埋め) as a new, distinctly northern Japanese seasonal term for the Japanese cultural sphere, contrasting it with the plum blossoms blooming in warmer regions. It’s a bit of a desperate attempt, I know (laugh)…

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 2月 24th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類