Any thoughts on if I'm better off connecting my anchor to the bow or stern of my canoe? I'll have a smaller paracord line connecting the anchor rope to the thwart near me, so that I can retrieve the anchor. Just wondering if - once I get out in the wind and chop - it would be easier to retrieve off one end or the other… or maybe I'm over-thinking this?  :P

In very light wind (when you do not need a anchor) over the side near you will work fine but when the wind kicks up pulling form the end is more desirable.  Either way  the anchor should be deployed and retrieved from the side near your seat.  To do this get a 1 to 2 inch metal ring ( split ring key chain works). Tie a light line to the ring long enough to reach from the drivers seat through something in the front of the canoe and back to the drivers seat and tie it near the drovers seat. Run the anchor line through the metal ring.  After deploying the anchor the ring can be moved to the front of the canoe by pulling on the light line anteing it off.  To retrieve the anchor release the light line and rise the anchor over the edge of the canoe.

MP pretty well nails it on both simple and effective.
I use an anchor sometimes stream fishing from a small boat kayak. Going into current/wind you want the bow anchored, the reverse going with.

They sell rigs like that for the kayak fishermen or you can DIY like MP described. Principals the same, it's just the matter of how simple you want to keep it.

A designated fishing kayak that your not portaging you can let you imagination be your guide, a tripping canoe, simpler would be better I would think.

This is pretty simple and could be easily adapted to a canoe.

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One thing he mentions is that with Paracord, you get line slack when wet and to taut when dry other times?
I think I would opt for some of that guy line cord I bought from Cooke's Sewing or similar for set-up.

I know from using it on my Dry-Fly and Pack hanging rig that it doesn't stretch when wet and is more than strong enough.