The best situation is what the Southwest and southern California provide - deserts interspersed with high mountains - what the textbooks call Basin and Range. During the cooler months, if you want winter, just climb up into the mountains. When the snow isn't fun anymore, simply descend to the lowlands.

In Tucson, my old stomping grounds, it is quite possible to ski and play outdoor tennis in the same day, or swim, or golf. In the summer, when you can melt lead on the sidewalks, the nearby heights (up to 9,000 feet) provide a welcome, cool relief.

Right now, the hills of Ventura County are alive with the sounds (and sights) of fresh fallen snow. i went for a pleasant bike ride this morning.